Crowds of trucks jammed Ottawa streets and crowds packed Parliament Hill on Saturday to protest the federal Liberal government, vaccine mandates and COVID-19 restrictions, with thousands more expected to arrive by end-of-day.
The sounds of honking horns echoed around the core of the national capital from vehicles parked and idling in front of the parliamentary buildings and around the National War Memorial.
Demonstrators marched up and down Wellington Street, which runs right in front of Parliament Hill and the Prime MinisterB次元官网网址檚 Office, flying the national flag, the Quebec flag and the occasional American flag.
Many of those in attendance appeared to be unmasked. Some could be seen carrying copies of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Others carried signs reading B次元官网网址淕od keep our land glorious and free,B次元官网网址� B次元官网网址淢ake Canada great again,B次元官网网址� and B次元官网网址渨e are here for our freedom.B次元官网网址� Still others bore expletive-laden signs targeting Trudeau.
Hundreds more vehicles from Western Canada, Quebec and the Atlantic provinces are expected to arrive in the next few hours to join those already in the capital.
Police were already out keeping emergency lanes open. Ottawa police warned that vehicles obstructing those lanes or other locations that must be kept clear for public safety reasons would be towed. Officers planned to remain downtown until crowds disperse.
The Parliamentary Protective Service expects as many as 10,000 protesters as part of a weekend-long rally. Though the aim of the protest is ostensibly to oppose vaccine mandates for truck drivers crossing the Canada-U.S. border, attendees said that is only a small part of their demands.
B次元官网网址淚 can travel freely through the border, and not be in contact with anyone. Yet IB次元官网网址檓 locked into my own country right now,B次元官网网址� said Tom Pappin, who came from just outside Ottawa. B次元官网网址淚 canB次元官网网址檛 go on a holiday. I canB次元官网网址檛 go to a restaurant, I canB次元官网网址檛 go bowling. I canB次元官网网址檛 go to a movie. You know, these are things that itB次元官网网址檚 just gotten out of control.B次元官网网址�
The 52-year-old said the gathering wouldnB次元官网网址檛 likely be a one day protests, saying that attendees are likely to stay parked by Parliament until vaccine mandates are lifted. Some protesters have said they wouldnB次元官网网址檛 leave until public-health restrictions are lifted or Justin Trudeau is forced out as prime minister.
While the federal government has imposed a vaccine mandate for federally regulated workers and at the Canada-U.S. border, almost all COVID-19 restrictions fall to provincial jurisdiction. That includes mask mandates, business and school closures, and other public and private gathering limits.
Phil Haggart was among the group to counter-protest the convoyB次元官网网址檚 message, saying he wanted to show that there were voices in favour of public health measures to slow the spread of the virus.
B次元官网网址淢asks are important, vaccines are important, and mandates are important only because we need them to stay alive and not fill our hospitals up,B次元官网网址� he said as protestors rang cow bells close by.
While the mood of attendees appeared jovial and peaceful, not everyone was optimistic that the government would fold to their demands.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 a nice thought, but I donB次元官网网址檛 think anything will happen immediately,B次元官网网址� said Phil Powers, a truck driver from Oshawa, Ont., who parked his trailer truck in front of Parliament Hill on Wellington Street for the weekend.
B次元官网网址淭his is the Canadian space to have the debate, so thatB次元官网网址檚 why weB次元官网网址檙e here.B次元官网网址�
Organizers of the group that mainly planned the truckersB次元官网网址� convoy, Canada Unity, are expected to address the crowds Saturday.
The memo being pushed by Canada Unity unlawfully demands Gov. Gen. Mary Simon and the Senate force the federal and provincial governments to lift all COVID-19 restrictions, including vaccine mandates. It does not mention truckers, and was initially sent to the Senate and Simon on Dec. 11.
The Canadian Trucking Alliance issued a statement Saturday saying it appears that a great number of the protestors in and heading to Ottawa B次元官网网址渉ave no connection to the trucking industry and have a separate agendaB次元官网网址� beyond the cross-border vaccine requirement.
To the truckers in attendance, the association said their behaviour will impact the B次元官网网址渕ajority of your colleagues from coast-to-coast who do not share your opinion but share your passion for the industry and country.B次元官网网址�
Police have warned their intelligence is flagging the potential for violence. Local law enforcement is working with the Canadian Security Intelligence Service, RCMP and other agencies to identify any potential threats to public safety.
- With files from Laura Osman and Mia Rabson
Stephanie Taylor, Erika Ibrahim and Jordan Press, The Canadian Press
