The Trucker Convey Has Entered Ottawa for Trudeau

A convoy of protesters, mostly truckers, dubbed the “Freedom Convoy” has descended onto Canada’s capital, Ottawa, to demonstrate against COVID-19 vaccine mandates and other public health measures.

They were later joined by other drivers and demonstrators from all regions of the country that, in some cases, travelled thousands of kilometres to take their message to the streets outside of the Prime Minister’s Office in the downtown core.

Police estimate that as many as 10,000 people were present by day’s end. The protesters are callign to pressure the government to end pandemic-related restrictions and return to “normal”.

Apparently, Trudeau and his family were moved from their home to an undisclosed location in the nation’s capital, sources said.

Numerous protesters were interviewed. “I’ve never done anything like this in my life. I’m 53 years old and this is the hill I’m going to die on. Do not tell me I have to put something in my body,” Lorraine Commodore, a convoy supporter, told CBC News on Saturday.

Commodore was fired from her job as a dental hygienist because she wouldn’t get vaccinated. She said she wants this protest to bring an end to mandates that cost her and others like her their jobs.

She said her mother-in-law died in hospital and it was difficult for the family to visit her in the last days of her life because of COVID-19 restrictions on visitors. “Open the hospitals, they’re public. This needs to end today.”

Her husband Mike chimed in too. “How many boosters is it gonna take? Wake up, people. How many boosters? People who’ve taken the two shots, they’re still coming down with COVID-19. They’re still testing positive. So, where’s the science? What science? It’s amazing what government scientists will say when their paycheques depend on it,” he said.

Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino, meanwhile, labelled forces as extremists and claimed that polcie will be backed up by other police and national security forces, who are preparing to deal with “any threats that could erupt” from the massive protest organizers known as the Freedom Convoy.