A massive Freedom Convoy of truckers and their supporters arrived in Ottawa, Canada, on Saturday, prompting Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his family to flee to an undisclosed location, despite the reported peaceful nature of the protests against vaccine mandates and quarantine and testing regulations for cross-border drivers. Prior to their arrival, Trudeau had dismissed the group as a "small, fringe minority."
the revolution will not be televised
— Maajid ??? ????? (@MaajidNawaz) January 29, 2022
Ottawa, Canada ???? RISES against Covid MANDATES
(sound on)#RESIST pic.twitter.com/RJ8NYGCdkQ
Now. 100,000 truckers. 1,500,000 million people in Ottawa at Parliament.
— Sir Marco Robinson (@marcorobinson7) January 29, 2022
Either Trudeau resigns OR drops all mandates. No negotiation. I have been told that by many amazing Canadian close friends. #TruckersForFreedom2022
I stand with all Canadians! Come on! pic.twitter.com/KdcpTxneTW
Canadian Trucker asked “How long will you stay in Ottawa?”
— Benny (@bennyjohnson) January 30, 2022
His answer is pure ??????pic.twitter.com/MyMfSk5yvJ
Despite many vowing to not leave the capital city until their demands are met, even in below-freezing temperatures, Canada’s Federal Transport Minister Omar Alghabra appeared unfazed.
During an interview with CBC, the liberal politician said work is being done to implement even more mandates on truck drivers.
Asked about an interprovincial mandate, Alghabra replied, “If you recall in the last election we actually campaigned on vaccines and vaccine mandates,” he said. “As of right now, that policy is not in place but no one should be surprised that there’s work happening to get us there.”
“So it will happen eventually?” CBC’s Rosemary Barton pressed.
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“The work is ongoing to get us there,” he added.
"No one should be surprised that there is work being done to get us there," Liberal Transport minister Omar Alghabra hints at a vaccine mandate for interprovincial truck drivers in Canada. #cdnpoli pic.twitter.com/mCzNUEnOG3
— True North (@TrueNorthCentre) January 31, 2022