While supply chain disruption has created shortages, looks like greater shortages could be on the horizon. This comes as a result of the Trudeau Liberal Government instituting that all cross-border truckers must be fully vaccinated by January 15, 2022. To oppose these mandates and all other COVID restrictions across the country, there is an estimated 1600 truckers from across Canada driving to Ottawa.
Trucker, Chris Barber from Swift Current, Saskatchewan representing the Freedom Convoy 2022 spoke with us.
“I have a lot of friends who are actually losing their jobs over this, enough is enough,” said Barber.
“My daughter is 16-years-old, she’s fully vaccinated, and she is actually home right now sick with COVID, so tell me what good do the mandates and passports do?” asked Barber.
While Barber is not sure how many trucking loads come and go into Canada and the United States each day, he did share there have been times when he pulled up to Portal, North Dakota where the truckers have been lined up for two miles to get through customs into Canada.
“My mother was in Walmart in Swift Current just a couple of days ago, she said the meat aisle was completely empty, there was some fresh produce but not very much, the store shelves are draining slowly because of this,” said Barber.
“Let me stress too we aren’t anti-vaccine we’re anti-mandate, I think a lot of Canadians are frustrated with the mandates, the government is telling us what to do when to do it and I think we’re tired of that,” said Barber.
“I’m in Iowa right now, I haven’t had a mask on since I crossed the border into the U.S., cashiers and waitresses have masks on, the general public down here don’t and there are no passports to get into the restaurants,” explained Barber.
Barber wants to stress this protest to Ottawa is not just about truckers this is about Canada, “the number of people calling me wanting to join and wanting to help, are farmer’s and city people, it’s unbelievable the amount of support we have.”
To help ease the financial costs for those traveling to Ottawa, a Go Fund Me page was set up for Freedom Convoy 2022. Within five days of the page being set up over 5600 people donated, generating over 436,000 dollars. For those wishing to donate you can go HERE.
“It’s absolutely humbling,” shared Barber. “Once the mandates are lifted and we’re done in Ottawa, any money leftover from the Go Fund Me page goes to the Veteran’s Society across Canada.”
The convoy is expected to arrive in Ottawa on January 29, 2022. To follow the convoy online you can go HERE.