Thick snow blankets the frozen ground and the air is bitter cold, but despite all odds, the Freedom Truckers have stood their ground for over a month now against the wrath of the draconian establishment.
Since January 9th, truckers have been gathering in the Canadian capital of Ottawa. From the 28th of January on, the ‘Freedom Convoy’ moved Eastward to other major Canadian cities, parking bumper-to-bumper, blocking highways and bringing traffic to a stand-still.
Hordes of diverse people of all races, ages, and creeds have since joined the protest. Families sit huddled around make-shift fires while the Maple Leaf flags fly proudly overhead.
No-one at the rallies have reported any “swastika waving”, despite the ludicrous statement made by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau last week in a lazy attempt to dismiss the valid concerns raised by the campaigners.
Trudeau would do well to acknowledge the inconvenient truth that the Freedom Convoy is not an anti-vax protest at heart, but an outcry born out of a far deeper concern about permanent loss of liberty.
The protest began as a demonstration against new Canadian legislation imposed on the 19th of November by the Canadian transport ministry, which requires people crossing the US-Canada border to be fully vaccinated.
Any unvaccinated trucker would have to quarantine upon returning home to Canada, sparking fears regarding the goods supply chain.
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There are thought to be around 120,000 cross-border truckers, and around 90% of them are reportedly fully-vaccinated. While concerns about the supply chain may have sparked the protests, they have since turned into a far wider resistance rally against Trudeau’s strict Covid rules in general, particularly since other nations including Great Britain have almost completely relaxed all restrictions.
Throughout the Freedom Convoy protests, Trudeau has wildly flung more and more restrictions at the truckers – even going so far as to ban them from honking their horns a few days ago.
This was after Conservative Ontario premier Doug Ford managed to remove the campaign’s GoFundMe page, which had raised around ten million Canadian dollars ($7.8m USD). GoFundMe insisted that the campaign was in violation of the site’s terms and service.
US President Joe Biden pushed for Trudeau to dish out even more draconian measures on Thursday, insisting that Canada should use federal powers to remove protesters from Ontario’s Ambassador Bridge, which connects the city of Windsor with Detroit and is the busiest international land border.
The next nearest crossing is 70 miles away.
Meanwhile, France has imposed a complete ban on any Freedom Convoy copycat protest in the country. Anyone taking part could face a $5400 fine or up to two years in prison.
On his official Twitter account, referencing a meeting with party politicians and officials, Trudeau posted that resolving the issue is vital for economic and political stability for both Canada and the US:
“We’re committed to helping the Mayor [Drew Dilkens, Mayor of Windsor] and the province get the situation under control – because it is causing real harm to workers and economies on both sides of the border.
“I stressed how important it is for all Members of Parliament, from every party, to denounce these illegal acts – and to call for an end to these blockades”.
This evening, I had several meetings that were focused on the illegal blockades and occupations happening across the country. They’re harming the communities they’re taking place in – and they’re hurting jobs, businesses, and our country’s economy. More below ⤵️
— Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) February 11, 2022
I also spoke with @DrewDilkens, the Mayor of Windsor, about the illegal blockade of the Ambassador Bridge. We’re committed to helping the Mayor and the province get the situation under control – because it is causing real harm to workers and economies on both sides of the border.
— Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) February 11, 2022
In the end, Trudeau may successfully clear the Ambassador Bridge, but with truck-loads of tension and a lorry-load of uncertainty about the possibility of the reinstation of freedoms and liberties in the future, it is unlikely the big wheels will stop turning any time soon.