Canada - Coronavirus COVID-19 #3

[musicaljoke]

The convoy does not have the support of the Canadian Trucking Alliance, the Saskatchewan Trucking Association or other groups.

The convoy is getting attention because the trucks are so large, but it appears to represent only a small minority of Canada's 300,000 long-haul drivers, said Alexander Crizzle, an associate professor and director of the Driving Research and Simulation Laboratory at the University of Saskatchewan.

• Federal government won't budge on vaccine mandate for truckers as convoy heads for Ottawa

• Hundreds of truckers headed to Ottawa in 'Freedom Rally' convoy against vaccine mandate

Vaccination "should be seen as just one more thing" for drivers, he said.

"Safety measures don't work unless they're mandatory. All the research proves that."

 

[otto]

The convoy does not have the support of the Canadian Trucking Alliance, the Saskatchewan Trucking Association or other groups.

The convoy is getting attention because the trucks are so large, but it appears to represent only a small minority of Canada's 300,000 long-haul drivers, said Alexander Crizzle, an associate professor and director of the Driving Research and Simulation Laboratory at the University of Saskatchewan.

• Federal government won't budge on vaccine mandate for truckers as convoy heads for Ottawa

• Hundreds of truckers headed to Ottawa in 'Freedom Rally' convoy against vaccine mandate

Vaccination "should be seen as just one more thing" for drivers, he said.

"Safety measures don't work unless they're mandatory. All the research proves that."

The really dumb thing about all of this is that Canadian truckers have to be vaccinated to enter the USA, and the Canadian government cannot change that. Canada is the second largest country in the world. If the truckers cannot make a living driving exclusively in such a large country, perhaps they're in the wrong line of work.

Or am I completely misunderstanding this. I understood that the protest was about truckers crossing the border, that the exemption for vaccines for truckers was removed recently. I understand that truckers can still drive around Canada without proof of vaccine. Is that true?

 

[Sundog]

The really dumb thing about all of this is that Canadian truckers have to be vaccinated to enter the USA, and the Canadian government cannot change that. Canada is the second largest country in the world. If the truckers cannot make a living driving exclusively in such a large country, perhaps they're in the wrong line of work.

Or am I completely misunderstanding this. I understood that the protest was about truckers crossing the border, that the exemption for vaccines for truckers was removed recently. I understand that truckers can still drive around Canada without proof of vaccine. Is that true?

They are protesting vaccine mandates. It's good to see the truckers getting the respect that they deserve. Other essential workers have been praised for their work, but not truck drivers, so good to see this show of support among one third of Canadians surveyed. As I said above, there are always fringe elements who will try to hijack a movement/event, happens with all of these protests, protests we like and protests we don't like. But to focus on them is to discredit the #freedomconvoy2022. I guess some people prefer that narrative.

 

[JDG]

CTV/Ottawa has a lot of articles about how the city is pretty much shut down for the weekend and what is expected to happen.

This will not be getting the backing of the general population, IMO.

If it’s ‘just’ the mandates, why are there no truck convoys heading to Washington DC. Same rules, same reasons…

 

[Sundog]

Does anyone have a link to any video of convoy in Ottawa? I saw a few from earlier today, but not from this afternoon. Probably more will be posted tomorrow, when people have time to get them online.

 

[otto]

They are protesting vaccine mandates. It's good to see the truckers getting the respect that they deserve. Other essential workers have been praised for their work, but not truck drivers, so good to see this show of support among one third of Canadians surveyed. As I said above, there are always fringe elements who will try to hijack a movement/event, happens with all of these protests, protests we like and protests we don't like. But to focus on them is to discredit the #freedomconvoy2022. I guess some people prefer that narrative.

As long as everything remains peaceful, and the disruption to the people of Ottawa is short term, they have the right to have their say. People who live in Ottawa are avoiding leaving home until Monday - assuming that life will return to normal by then.

 

[otto]

Confirming that truckers crossing the border into Canada must be vaccinated and Canadian truckers entering the USA must be vaccinated.

"Truckers already submit to a host of mandatory government safety regulations, from health checks to electronic monitoring of their movements ... makes no sense for some drivers to claim their freedoms are now at risk from a COVID-19 vaccination added to that long list of job requirements.

A cross-Canada convoy of truckers and their supporters is en route to Ottawa to protest a COVID-19 vaccine mandate that, as of last week, requires Canadian truckers returning to the country to be vaccinated if they want to avoid quarantine and molecular tests. The U.S. has imposed a similar vaccine mandate.
...

One of the British Columbia organizers of the convoy, longtime truck driver Sean Tiessen, said it's wrong to compare vaccination with all of the other mandatory health and safety rules imposed on truckers.

He claimed vaccine rules don't keep anyone safe, that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is a tyrant and that a Regina restaurant worker recently discriminated against him by telling he couldn't sit at a certain table.

He said someone has to stand up to the "draconian, fascist mandates" on vaccination."
​

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatoon/truck-convoy-vaccination-freedoms-1.6330176

 

[otto]

The voice of reason pointing out that covid, rather than voices and methods for reducing transmission, is the enemy.

"The enemy is not vaccination. The enemy is COVID-19 and the best tool to fight this enemy is to be vaccinated,"
[Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos] said during a public health briefing Friday morning.

"We understand now there is frustration around COVID-19, but we also know that the only way to exit COVID-19 is to get vaccinated."

The protest was billed initially as a demonstration by Canadian truck drivers against new vaccination rules in their industry — but those with broader concerns about public health measures and the federal government's handling of the pandemic have fastened themselves to the movement.

Some of those tied to the protest have vowed to stay until all vaccine mandates are repealed or the government somehow resigns."
​

https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/health-minister-vaccine-protest-1.6331223

 

[otto]

This is why the protest is a problem. People with very bad intentions have attached themselves to this cross-country protest.

"For example, some people claiming to be affiliated with the convoy have discussed online overthrowing the government and going after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and other MPs. One person said that “the only way that this is going to be solved is with bullets,” and it has been suggested that the event on the Hill could turn into Canada’s version of the Jan. 6, 2021 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol."
​

What does the trucker convoy hope to accomplish?

​

 

[otto]

Truckers who are embarrassed by the convoy.

"Dennis Levesque of London, Ont. has been a trucker for eight years. He calls the convoy "an embarrassment for the industry" and says the participants only represent a "tiny, tiny proportion of drivers."
...

"We're an industry that struggles with how we're represented in media and the perception of truck drivers to begin with," he told CTVNews.ca over the phone on Thursday. "I think something like this just reinforces the stereotypes that exist for truck drivers. It's not going to do anything to help us move the industry forward in a better direction."
​

'Embarrassment for the industry': Not all truckers support the 'freedom convoy'

 

[musicaljoke]

‘Freedom Convoy’ leader shared symbol of far-right hate group on TikTok.

 

[otto]

‘Freedom Convoy’ leader shared symbol of far-right hate group on TikTok.

I suppose that explains why the protest is to change a mandate that will in fact make no difference to truckers whose work takes them across the border. Even if Canada dropped the mandate, the USA mandate still requires vaccines. It's completely illogical.

 

[JDG]

If I wanted to see the PM, I’d be heading to Tofino.

Bet he’s having a cold one while Netflixing the weekend away. lol

 

[otto]

If I wanted to see the PM, I’d be heading to Torino.

Bet he’s having a cold one while Netflixing the weekend away. lol

Perhaps. One of his children tested positive, so he might be helping look after that child.

 

[JDG]

I suppose that explains why the protest is to change a mandate that will in fact make no difference to truckers whose work takes them across the border. Even if Canada dropped the mandate, the USA mandate still requires vaccines. It's completely illogical.

If all heck breaks loose tomorrow, it’s just to copy the American ‘revolt’.

Ottawa is a small city, glad I’m not there this weekend.

 

[casesensitive]

Far right hate groups will penetrate and join any protest that is gaining media attention. We saw it happen in the BLM protests and the insurrection in Washington. Trudeau has reason to be alarmed, and hopefully they will be shut down immediately. Lessons from recent history can't be ignored. jmo

 

[JDG]

Just read Brian Lilleys article in the Toronto Sun.

It’s worth perusing.

Seems *some* media are not being neutral/objective with their reporting and, indeed are using commentary from the comments sections.

 

[dotr]

Just read Brian Lilleys article in the Toronto Sun.

It’s worth perusing.

Seems *some* media are not being neutral/objective with their reporting and, indeed are using commentary from the comments sections.

LILLEY: Media's handling of trucker convoy one-sided and shameful | Toronto Sun
''Run for your lives, the barbarians are at the gates!
That pretty much sums up the reaction of most in the Canadian media to the trucker convoy that has been winding its way across the country for the last week before descending upon Ottawa on Saturday.''
''If you haven’t heard, this protest is destined to become Canada’s January 6th, the storming of the American capital that took place just over a year ago. Where did the idea come from that people involved in the convoy wanted to attempt a violent overthrow of the Canadian government?

It wasn’t from any of the organizers, it was an anonymous comment made online and referenced by Global News in one of their reports. It was enough to set the tone of the coverage for days to come — these are violent extremists. Beware!''

American media personalities have jumped onto the convoy story. Here’s what that could mean for Canada
''There are times when Canadians can get more than a little chuffed about an event in this country making waves south of the border.
But what if that story is helping fuel an American media narrative aimed at sowing fear and backlash against U.S. President Joe Biden?
Enter the “Freedom Rally” convoy that’s been making its way to Ottawa this week.
The convoy has received substantial air time from U.S. right-wing outlets and big-name American political commentators on social media all week.''

 

[dotr]

Does anyone have a link to any video of convoy in Ottawa? I saw a few from earlier today, but not from this afternoon. Probably more will be posted tomorrow, when people have time to get them online.

 

[otto]

LILLEY: Media's handling of trucker convoy one-sided and shameful | Toronto Sun
''Run for your lives, the barbarians are at the gates!
That pretty much sums up the reaction of most in the Canadian media to the trucker convoy that has been winding its way across the country for the last week before descending upon Ottawa on Saturday.''
''If you haven’t heard, this protest is destined to become Canada’s January 6th, the storming of the American capital that took place just over a year ago. Where did the idea come from that people involved in the convoy wanted to attempt a violent overthrow of the Canadian government?

It wasn’t from any of the organizers, it was an anonymous comment made online and referenced by Global News in one of their reports. It was enough to set the tone of the coverage for days to come — these are violent extremists. Beware!''

American media personalities have jumped onto the convoy story. Here’s what that could mean for Canada
''There are times when Canadians can get more than a little chuffed about an event in this country making waves south of the border.
But what if that story is helping fuel an American media narrative aimed at sowing fear and backlash against U.S. President Joe Biden?
Enter the “Freedom Rally” convoy that’s been making its way to Ottawa this week.
The convoy has received substantial air time from U.S. right-wing outlets and big-name American political commentators on social media all week.''

BBM. I say that is utter nonsense. In fact, footage has been of people standing on bridges waving flags, others at rest stops handing out free hot chocolate, waving at the side of the road in -26 celsius temperatures, youtubing and proud to be Canadian across the country. Children are speaking out in support of the truckers.

Everyone across the country has been supportive of the truckers. In fact, other countries have been watching and cheering on Canadians who speak up about vaccine mandates.

So far, this is a positive movement. Hopefully, truckers will recognize that they have support across the country, but changing law in Canada does not change the fact that they have to be vaccinated to enter the USA. Trudeau cannot solve the trucker's problem. They cannot enter the USA without a vaccine, so perhaps they should take their fight to the USA Trucker Association.

After Trudeau's child has recovered from covid, he can thank the truckers for their support, remind them that they need a vaccine to enter the USA, and wish them luck with their careers.