Canada convoy protest

Freedom Convoy 2022
Part of COVID-19 protests in Canada
Protesters in front of Parliament Hill on February 1, 2022 (top); Vehicles lined up on Wellington Street January 28 (bottom left); Supporters greet a truck on an overpass in Merritt, British Columbia (bottom right).
Date	January 22, 2022 (2022-01-22) – present
Location	Canada
Caused by	COVID-19 pandemic in Canada, vaccine mandates in Canada
Goals	Opposition to mandates for vaccines Opposition to Justin Trudeau
Methods	Convoy protest over major Canadian highways; demonstration at Parliament Hill
Status	Ongoing
Parties
Freedom Convoy Government of Canada
Number
Convoy: 551–1,155 vehicles including: 121–230 trucks 430–925 personal vehicles Protests: Estimates of 3,000 to 18,000 people
Arrests
Arrested	23
Charged	4
Fined	1,300+

Freedom Convoy (French: Convoi de la Liberté) is an ongoing protest in Canada against COVID-19 vaccine requirements for truckers to re-enter the country by land introduced by the government of Canada on January 15, 2022. Originating from several points across Canada, the convoy traversed all of the Canadian provinces before converging on Ottawa on January 29, 2022, with a rally at Parliament Hill. The trucking convoys were then joined by pedestrian protesters.

Both Canada and the United States accommodated unvaccinated cross-border truckers with an exemption from the new COVID-19 regulations implemented by both countries in the fall of 2021, to prevent supply chain disruptions. The exemptions for Canadian truckers ended on January 15, 2022, and the United States Department of Homeland Security exemption ended a week later on January 22, 2022. The Canadian Trucking Alliance (CTA) estimates that 85 per cent of the 120,000 Canadian truck drivers are already vaccinated against COVID-19, and that these mandates would potentially affect 26,000 of the 160,000 drivers in both the United States and Canada who regularly cross the border.

The convoy has been condemned by trucking industry groups, and the Canadian Trucking Alliance reported that a large number of protesters had no connection to trucking. Protesters were seen desecrating the statue of national hero Terry Fox, the National War Memorial, and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

Multiple politicians and media sources raised concerns that organizers and groups involved with the protest have had involvement with far-right extremist groups, including those who promote violence, and that some have called for the federal government of Canada to be overthrown.

On January 27, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said that almost 90 percent of Canadians were vaccinated, as were many truckers in Canada, and that a "small fringe minority of people" in the convoy do not "represent the views of Canadians".

Several offshoot protests have blockaded provincial capitals and border crossings with the United States, halting shipments from Alberta farms and disrupting auto manufacturing industries in Ontario and Michigan. The protests are ongoing as of February 10, 2022, and protesters have stated that they will not leave Ottawa or the border crossings until all COVID-19 restrictions and mandates have been repealed. Officials have expressed concern about the economic impact of the border blockades.

Background and goals

A January 27, 2022 CTV News explainer provided an update on current "vaccine mandates and public health restrictions" across Canada as background for the convoy. These mandates and restrictions "fall under provincial and territorial jurisdiction" and most are "not federal responsibilities". Regulations regarding international borders are enacted and enforced by both countries who share the border, involving federal agencies including Transport Canada, and in the United States, Homeland Security and CDC.

Under the Constitution Act, health is the responsibility of the provinces and territories; the federal government transfers public funds to the provinces and territories to ensure Medicare is universally accessible. COVID-19-related responses, including those related to vaccinations, like all healthcare in Canada under the Canada Health Act, are the responsibility of provinces and territories who provide free health services in their own jurisdictions. There were no mandates or passports until the fourth wave when the highly contagious SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant spread rapidly across Canada. By mid-August there was an emerging patchwork of vaccine mandates, including those implemented by private facilities. As most of the deaths caused by COVID-19 at that time were among seniors, private long-term care facilities began to mandate vaccinations for staff by late August. In the first lawsuit against an employer who mandated vaccinations, on November 9, 2021, the Arbitrator, Von Veh, upheld the company's mandatory vaccination policy, and dismissed the grievance. At the federal level, dialogues were undertaken with other Group of Seven nations, the World Health Organization, and the International Civil Aviation Organization regarding passports—"reliable and secure" "proof of vaccination credentials".

Vaccination requirements for US-Canada cross-border travel

Main article: COVID-19 vaccination mandates in Canada

The organizers of the original mid-January crowdsourced fundraising campaign, "Freedom Convoy", on GoFundMe—first, Tamara Lich, and later Benjamin (Ben). J. Dichter, who are not long-haul truckers— described the goal of the truck convoy from all across Canada to the nation's capital, as a demonstration against the newly implemented January 15 federal cross-border COVID-19 vaccine mandate, targeting long-haul truck drivers, according to a January 28, 2022 CTV News article.

These new United States Department of Homeland Security regulations, released in October 2021, were regarding cross-border travel between the Canada and the United States and were based on guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. To prevent supply chain disruptions, the DHS allowed for a window of four months—until January 22, 2022—for Canadian truckers to get fully vaccinated against COVID-19. On November 19, 2021, the Public Health Agency of Canada announced upcoming adjustments to Canada's border measures. This would include the requirement for essential service providers, including truck drivers, to be fully vaccinated after January 15, 2022. The announcement clarified that unvaccinated or partially vaccinated foreign national truck drivers would be prohibited from entering Canada after that date. According to the Canadian Press and CBC, as of January 22, the mandates would impact an estimated 26,000 unvaccinated truckers of the 160,000 truck drivers who regularly cross the border in both the United States and Canada. When asked in the House of Commons to produce data linking truckers to COVID-19 infections in Canada, neither the minister of health Jean-Yves Duclos nor the chief public health officer Theresa Tam were able to do so.

Vaccine mandates and passports

Main article: COVID-19 vaccination mandates in Canada

A October 21, 2021, federal briefing said that the provinces and territories—who hold all of the vaccination information—are responsible for providing the vaccine passport that Canadians needed to travel internationally, using "existing provincial proof of vaccination systems". By 2022, all provinces and territories had "vaccine passports with the QR code that meets the recommended Canadian standard for domestic and international travel". There is no federal mandate for COVID-19 vaccines in Canada. With healthcare capacity spread "too thin" during the "rising fifth wave driven by the Omicron variant" in early January 2022, federal Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos's suggestion of mandatory COVID-19 vaccines was rejected by Alberta Premier Jason Kenney, whose government had removed the "power of mandatory vaccination from the province's Public Health Act, to ensure there could not be a vaccine mandate.

Since October 29, proof of vaccination has been mandatory for employees of federal public services and federally-regulated industries including banking. By early January, in these public sectors, those "without proof, or an exemption on medical or religious grounds, has been put on unpaid leave". Since the end of October, Canadians who wish to travel domestically on cruise ships or by VIA Rail trains have been required to prove they are fully vaccinated or have a negative COVID-19 tests.

Protest goals

The protest calls for the end of vaccine mandates in Canada during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Freedom Convoy's spokesperson Ben Dichter stated on Fox News that "We want to get rid of the vaccine mandates and the (vaccine) passports. And that passport, that's the really concerning one".

As the convoy reached Ontario, it began to expand from its original goals. Several protesters voiced opposition to perceived authoritarianism and corruption by Justin Trudeau, stating they wanted him "out of office", while others said: "This is not an anti-vaccination movement, this is a freedom movement". Jason LaFace, Canada Unity's Ontario organizer for the convoy, has stated that the intent of the protest is to dissolve the government. Many of the restrictions that the protesters object to are provincial jurisdiction.

According to The Washington Post, one of the main organizers behind the convoy, Canada Unity (CU), acknowledged that they had planned to submit their signed "memorandum of understanding" (MoU) to the Governor General and the Senate, described in the MoU as the "SCGGC". The MoU which was signed by James and Sandra Bauder and Martin Brodmann, was posted on the Canada Unity website in mid-December 2021 and publicly available until its February 8 retraction. In this pseudolegal document, CU called on the "SCGGC" to cease all vaccine mandates, reemploy all employees terminated due to vaccination status, and rescind all fines imposed for non-compliance with public health orders. If this failed, the MoU called on the "SCGGC" to dissolve the government, and name members of the CU to form a Canadian Citizens Committee (CCC), which is beyond the constitutional powers of either the Governor General or the Senate. The original MoU contained no specific mention of cross-border truckers as it had originally been drafted and delivered over a month earlier, but then was reissued for the protest. Canada Unity hoped a million Canadians would sign their names to the MoU. Organizers felt a groundswell of fresh support for the MoU could trigger a new federal election, and investigations into Prime Minister Trudeau. On February 3, Conservative MP Kevin Waugh dismissed the MoU as "nonsense" in a Power & Politics interview. The memo once pushed by Canada Unity unlawfully demanded Gov. Gen. Mary Simon and the Senate force federal and provincial governments to lift all COVID-19 restrictions, including vaccine mandates. It did not mention truckers, and was initially sent to the Senate and Simon on Dec. 11. Canada Unity now says it is immediately withdrawing the memo, adding it firmly supports the Constitution and democratic processes.

Tom Marazzo, a self-declared spokesperson for the protest, held press conference on February 7, proposing the formation of a coalition with the Conservatives, NDP, and Bloc Quebecois. He described Trudeau as having "a 22-calibre mind and a 357 world".

By February 10, as the convoy organizers' motivations had been "exposed as including the overthrow of the government", the Conservative party shifted as "certainty in supporting the movement began to break down."

Protest timeline

Convoy movements

The first convoy departed Prince Rupert on January 22, arriving in Prince George in the evening. The following day, another convoy left from Delta with supporters gathering along Highway 1, the Trans-Canada Highway. Members of the protest used Zello chat to communicate.

On January 24, a convoy drove through Regina, Saskatchewan, and was greeted by supporters. According to police in Regina, about 1,200 vehicles reached the city. On January 25, another convoy passed through Kenora, Ontario, where Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) in contact with the convoy stated that 200–300 vehicles would be passing through Kenora. The convoys consist of three main routes across Canada, which will converge for the Ottawa protest on the weekend. The Ottawa Police Service estimated up to 2,000 demonstrators in the city on the weekend.

As of January 26, the OPP estimated approximately 400 vehicles had entered Ontario from the Manitoba border as part of the eastbound convoy. The Kingston Police estimated approximately 300 vehicles (17 full tractor-trailers, 104 tractors without trailers, 424 passenger vehicles and six RVs) to go through Kingston.

Part of the convoy moving through Halton Region in Ontario.

On January 27, winter weather closed a portion of Highway 17, (the main route of the Trans-Canada) in northern Ontario, causing the eastbound convoy to be divided. Some of the truckers continued on to Sault Ste. Marie, while others diverted to Highway 11 (a northern branch of the TCH) and drove towards Cochrane.

Truckers from the Maritime provinces planned to meet in Moncton before departing for Ottawa. On the morning of January 27, supporters gathered in Enfield, Nova Scotia where fireworks were set off as 10 to 15 trucks departed for the New Brunswick border. RCMP in PEI reported that approximately 70 trucks and supporters' vehicles crossed the Confederation Bridge into New Brunswick, but that most immediately turned around and returned to the island. About 24 trucks reportedly passed through Fredericton in the afternoon, bound for Ottawa. On January 27, one convoy group passed through the Greater Toronto Area. Hundreds of protesters gathered at highway overpasses in support of the convoy.

On January 28, a convoy was seen passing through Quebec. About 600 convoy vehicles were expected to stay the night in Arnprior before heading to Parliament Hill the following morning.

On January 28, the province of Nova Scotia banned gatherings along highways, specifically on the Trans-Canada (Highway 104) between the Nova Scotia and New Brunswick border, in relation to protests related to the freedom convoy.

Ottawa

Protester vehicles lined up in the periphery of the National War Memorial on January 31

Various images of specific acts during the day received wide condemnation. Protesters were seen drinking and dancing on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at the National War Memorial. Chief of the Defence Staff Gen. Wayne Eyre described it as a desecration, and the Royal Canadian Legion condemned the actions. A statue of iconic cancer fundraiser Terry Fox was decorated with an upside-down Canadian flag and a protest sign. The Terry Fox Foundation commented that Fox "believed in science and gave his life to help others". Images of a Canadian flag marked with a swastika were seen, as were two Confederate flags. The Terry Fox statue was cleaned afterwards by the protesters themselves. The man with the Confederate flag was later forced out by other protesters, who said "Now he's going. Now he's gone. We called him out. He knows. He's gonna hold his head in shame now". Some protesters harassed volunteers at a local soup kitchen, the Shepherds of Good Hope, demanding free food intended for Ottawa's homeless population. Staff at the soup kitchen stated: "One member of our shelter community was assaulted by protesters. A security guard went to his aid and was threatened and called racial slurs." The soup kitchen also said that protesters' vehicles blocked the kitchen's ambulance drop-off zone for around 12 hours before they were towed.

A video circulated showing protesters appropriating First Nations drumming while dancing, drinking beer, and chanting "yabba dabba doo" and "fuck Trudeau". Senator and Mi'kmaq leader Brian Francis tweeted: "I am disgusted, appalled and saddened. This blatant act of racism must be vehemently condemned by all. Drumming is sacred to all First Nations. Our ways of life should never be mimicked, mocked and appropriated for political or other gain." The Algonquins of Pikwàkanagàn First Nation, whose traditional unceded territory includes the city of Ottawa, issued a statement condemning protesters who held an Indigenous pipe ceremony and set up a tepee in the city's Confederation Park without the First Nation's permission on February 2.

A Globe and Mail article entitled "Officials condemn 'desecration' of monuments, hateful signs on display at trucker convoy protest" also described the January 29 protest as having a "party-like atmosphere" with some handing out coffee, cookies, "drinking beer and smoking marijuana". Ottawa Police reported de-escalating multiple "high-risk situations" making no arrests.

Rideau Street in Ottawa on January 31

The Canadian Trucking Alliance commented on January 29 that many of the supporters at the protest in Ottawa had no direct connection to the trucking industry.

On January 30, Ottawa Police launched a criminal investigation into the desecration of the National War Memorial and statue of Terry Fox. They will also be investigating "threatening/illegal/intimidating behaviour" toward police officers, workers and other private citizens. Also on January 30, Sloly said: "I think the only thing we can say for sure we're still going to be dealing with some level of traffic disruption and demonstration over the next 24 hours."

A press conference was held at an undisclosed location, open only to invited right-wing outlets.

The House of Commons resumed on January 31, after the holiday break.

On January 31, Ottawa Paramedics announced that protesters had thrown rocks at an ambulance over the course of the weekend and called paramedics racial slurs. Paramedics had treated 19 people over the course of the weekend, mostly due to alcohol-related intoxication.

On the afternoon of January 31, Sloly said that "The situation of the demonstration has scaled down over the last 12 hours" and that "We want that trend to continue until this demonstration comes to a complete end. I cannot guarantee you that right now but I can guarantee that every effort at negotiation, coordination, de-escalation, has continued throughout the last four days and will continue until the complete end of this demonstration."

On February 1, large downtown Ottawa amenities like Rideau Centre and the National Arts Centre continued to stay closed due to security concerns. Ottawa police set up a hotline for hate-motivated crimes to be reported. On the night of February 1, Ottawa Police said that about 250 protesters remained around and on Parliament Hill.

On February 2, organizers of the protest said that they would not leave Ottawa until governments across Canada "end all mandates associated with COVID-19" and will stay "as long as it takes for freedom to be restored".

On February 3, the protesters started building a wooden structure in Confederation Park and gathering fuel supplies. Social media reports suggested that the structure is intended to serve as a community kitchen for the protesters.

Some Ottawa residents planned a counter-protest on February 5.

On February 6, Ottawa Police promised to increase enforcement on protesters, including handing out tickets and arresting anyone who attempts to bring "material aid", such as fuel, to protesters. A state of emergency was declared by the City of Ottawa on the same day. In a statement, the city said that its declaration "reflects the serious danger and threat to the safety and security of residents posed by the ongoing demonstrations and highlights the need for support from other jurisdictions and levels of government". Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson described the situation as "the most serious emergency our city has ever faced".

On the evening of February 6, Police performed a raid on a stockpile hub of supplies for protesters, seizing fuel and making two arrests for mischief.

An emergency debate of the House of Commons was held on the night of February 7, at the request of NDP leader Jagmeet Singh. Trudeau stated that the convoy is "trying to blockade our economy, our democracy and our fellow citizens' daily lives. It has to stop." Transport minister Omar Alghabra used the debate to encourage Ontario Premier Doug Ford to use regulatory powers to discourage the occupation, such as suspending commercial licenses or insurance of the truckers.

As of February 8, a quarter of the 400 remaining trucks have brought children to the event, raising concerns about sanitation, noise levels, and fumes.

By day 14, February 10, the newest tactic was "convoy circles". Ottawa-Centre MPP Joel Harden noted that a "convoy organizer" had been encouraging protesters form them around public schools in Ottawa. A group of about 60 convoy vehicles headed to the Ottawa Macdonald–Cartier International Airport at 8 a.m., slow-circling it, "honking their horns and obstructing traffic" until about 10 a.m., then returned to their Coventry Road, one of three Ottawa protest encampments. MPP Harden also revealed an "organized attempt... to flood our 911 services with vexatious calls.".

Security

At a January 31 press conference, Ottawa Police Service (OPS) Chief Peter Sloly described the demonstration as "unique in nature, massive in scale, polarizing in context and dangerous in literally every other aspect of the event itself". He said that starting on January 28 there was a "traffic gridlock" which turned into "traffic chaos" over the next two days as "thousands of vehicles, particularly heavy trucks" arrived in Ottawa. Security forces included police forces from the federal, provincial and municipal levels: the RCMP, Ontario Provincial Police (OPP), Gatineau Police, Sûreté du Québec, London Police Service, Hamilton Police Service, Peel Regional Police, Toronto Police Service, York Regional Police, and Durham Regional Police who worked with the OPS Incident Command System. OPS Chief Sloly advised people to avoid downtown Ottawa during the weekend protest, adding that "we are prepared to investigate, arrest if necessary, charge and prosecute anyone who acts violently or breaks the law in the demonstrations, or in association with the demonstrations". Chief Sloly said that since the scaling down of the demonstration on January 31, the crime prevention teams normally directly providing support in around the core, but who were deployed elsewhere during the height of the protests, have returned to their neighbourhoods.

In response to criticism that police had been too soft on "disruptive protesters", Chief Sloly said that it was a "measure of success" that there were "no riots, no injuries, no deaths".

With the cost of police service per day estimated at $CDN800,000 a day in policing costs, the Mayor of Ottawa is considering legal action to cover costs.

Patrick McDonell, the Sergeant-at-Arms of the House of Commons and Director General of Parliamentary Protective Service (PPS) warned Members of Parliament about possible doxing attempts to discover the addresses of their residences in the Capital Region. The letter further warned MPs not to get involved in any demonstrations, to "go somewhere safe", and to keep all doors locked. McDonell told reporters that Canada has never been so divided—the thousands of people arriving on Parliament Hill in the trucker convoy, represents a "symbol of the fatigue" that Canadians are experiencing after two years of COVID. PPS prepared for approximately 10,000 protesters; Wellington Street, which is in front of Parliament Hill was closed to most traffic; some lanes had been "designated specifically" for truckers; and others for emergency vehicles.

On January 29, the first day of protest at Parliament Hill, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was "moved to an undisclosed location due to security concerns".

The OPS had called in reinforcements from the RCMP and the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS), and were working to identify threats in the convoy.

As protesters headed towards Ottawa on January 28, the OPP tweeted "OPP advises motorists to avoid travel on Highway 417 and Highway 416 in the Ottawa area, beginning Friday afternoon and on Saturday." They asked that emergency vehicle access be assured throughout.

Investigations

Active investigations are underway for a number of widely publicized incidents including those related to the Unknown Soldier's memorial and the Terry Fox statue as well as for more general incidents, including bribery, threats, assault, dangerous driving, and setting a fire in a building. An OPS hotline has been set up where victims can report crimes, including hate crimes.

Chief Sloly warned offenders that if they had come from elsewhere and committed a crime, including hate crime in Ottawa, there have been "intelligence officers, investigative officers, and multi-jurisdictional support" from across Canada at work in the background. He said, that "no matter where you live, no matter where your vehicles are registered ... You will be investigated ... We will look for you. We will charge you, if necessary, will arrest you, and we will pursue prosecutions against you."

On February 7, some two dozen arrests were made, and nearly 80 criminal investigations have been opened.

Criticism of Ottawa Police

Ottawa Police's response to the protests and later encampments of lingering protesters drew criticism from local residents. Complaints focused around lack of enforcement on noise due to constant horn-honking, disruption of livelihoods and continued gridlock. Police later addressed some concerns by issuing 30 tickets on February 3.

On February 4, it was revealed that Ottawa Police had hired Navigator Ltd, a crisis public relations firm to aid in handling messaging to the public.

Suppression of the protests

As of February 10, there was general agreement by government and law enforcement officials that vigorous efforts to suppress the protests were dangerous, possibly leading to expanded, even violent reactions. A variety of suppression options were legally possible and some, such as issuing tickets, were being employed. Tow-truck drivers in several locations had declined to tow trucks.

Fundraising

Fundraising started on January 14, 2022, through the crowdsourced fundraising platform GoFundMe. Listed as organizers were Tamara Lich, secretary of the western separatist Maverick Party, and B. J. Dichter, a 2015 federal Conservative Party candidate now associated with the People's Party of Canada. The Maverick Party has denied involvement in the convoy and said it was not the recipient of any funds raised.

The convoy's GoFundMe raised over CA$5 million by January 25. On January 24, GoFundMe responded to questions by CTV News stating funds raised would not be distributed until the fundraising organizers could demonstrate how the funds would be properly distributed. On January 27, GoFundMe released the initial CA$1 million of the funds after the organizers have provided a distribution plan.

On February 2, GoFundMe flagged the fundraiser for review and paused donations, saying it was investigating to ensure the fundraiser was in compliance with the platform's terms of service. The fundraiser had raised CA$10,096,500 from approximately 120,000 donors. On February 3, a parliamentary committee voted to call on GoFundMe officials to testify before the House of Commons committee on public safety and national security, to respond to concerns about the origin of the funds raised and to ensure they would not be used to "promote extremism". Members of Parliament also called on the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada (FINTRAC), Canada's financial intelligence agency, to appear before the committee. CBC News reported that a third of the donations were anonymous or used false names, and that commenters on the fundraiser claimed to be from the United States, United Kingdom, and other countries.

On the evening of February 4, GoFundMe removed the campaign permanently for violating their terms of service.

A convoy fundraiser on the fundraising website GiveSendGo, launched after the GoFundMe removal, has attracted over $8.2 million as of February 10th.. The Attorney General of Ontario sought and was awarded an injunction against GiveSendGo to freeze the funds collected, and prohibit their distribution.

Estimates of convoy size

By law enforcement

According to the Ottawa Police Chief, crowd estimates ranged from 5,000 to 18,000 protesters on January 29, dwindling to approximately 3,000 demonstrators the following day. On January 31 they estimated a crowd of about 8,000 protesters in Ottawa city, and Ontario Provincial Police recorded 113 trucks and 276 personal vehicles coming into Thunder Bay from Winnipeg. By February 1 they had estimated as little as 250 protesters remained.

By media

Various media claims (such as the CBC) initially estimated the crowd size on January 29 at 8,000 people. Other media claims, such as The Globe and Mail later estimated between 8,000 and 15,000 people participated in the largest event on January 29.

On February 9, CNN's Daniel Dale fact-checked numerous claims about the protests in general. Dale echoed the previous claims by police, adding that there was also an estimated 200 vehicles from the Atlantic provinces.

By organizers

Some Facebook posts claiming as many as 50,000 trucks would be participating in the convoys. On his blog, Fox News commentator Sean Hannity reported that the convoy was made up of 10,000 heavy trucks, and Joe Warmington of the Toronto Sun reported that the event may set a Guinness World Record for the largest truck convoy on record. These claims were grossly exaggerated. Claims that the truck convoy "made the Guinness Book of World Records" are also false; the current record is 480 trucks, set in Cairo, Egypt in 2020, and the Freedom Convoy did not submit an application for an attempt at setting a new record.

Participation of extremist groups

In the lead-up to the planned arrival in Ottawa, it was anonymously reported on January 25 that alleged far-right and white supremacist groups were hoping for violence on Parliament Hill akin to the 2021 United States Capitol attack. This has caused organizer Tamara Lich to address convoy members and denounce political violence, saying that protesters should "hold a peaceful protest" instead. Organizers and leaders of the convoy condemned extremist groups, and asked that participants report law breakers to the police. They also stated that any extremists found would be "removed" from the convoy. Despite this, some protesters were photographed waving Confederate or Nazi flags at the rally. On January 28, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau expressed concern that a small group of protesters are going to be posing a threat during the weekend.

Links to far-right and separatist groups

• One of the lead organizers of the convoy, James Bauder, has previously stated support for QAnon, endorsed conspiracy theories about the COVID-19 pandemic and the 2020 U.S. presidential election, and called for the arrest of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for alleged treason. On February 3, 2022, Romana Didulo arrived in Ottawa with supporters. Didulo calls herself the "Queen of Canada" and is a conspiracy theorist linked to QAnon. In November 2021, she called on her 73,000 Telegram followers to shoot healthcare workers. An episode of The Faulkner Focus, hosted by Harris Faulkner, was criticized by The Daily Beast in February 2022 for trying to normalize the protests and anti-vaccine sentiment. The episode said that the protesters were not a fringe minority, but represented the mainstream of society and had international support. The montage of protesters she showed prominently displayed imagery relating to QAnon.
• The Facebook page for the convoy has shared content from and listed as an organizer Wexit co-founder and Yellow Vest Canada organizer Patrick King, who has previously hosted counter-protests to anti-racism rallies, spread COVID-19 misinformation, and spread the Great Replacement conspiracy theory.
• Maverick Party - Tamara Lich, the protest's fundraiser, is Secretary for the Maverick Party, a western separatist group formerly known as Wexit Canada. Lich was previously the regional co-ordinator for Wexit in southeastern Alberta and board member for Wexit Alberta. The Maverick Party has denied involvement in fundraising for the convoy, issuing a statement on January 24 saying that the party is not involved in the protest.
• Action 4 Canada - associated with the Canada Unity group inside the Freedom Convoy - Islamophobic and anti-LGBTQ conspiracy group with webpages about the dangers of political Islam, health consequences of 5G technology and underreporting of adverse vaccine reactions. Founded by Tanya Gaw who actively supported the Yellow Vests protests of 2019.
• No More Lockdowns - Jason LaFace, Canada Unity's Ontario organizer for the Freedom Convoy is also a main organizer for No More Lockdowns Canada - An anti-lockdown and anti-vaccine mandate organization primarily associated with expelled Ontario MPP Randy Hillier which holds anti-lockdown rallies across Ontario.
• Peoples Party of Canada - Benjamin Dichter who is listed as an organizer on the Freedom Convoy GoFundMe page and who is an organizer of the Freedom Convoy was a speaker at the inaugural 2019 PPC National Convention where he claimed political Islam has infiltrated the Conservative Party and is "rotting away at our society like syphilis".
• Soldiers of Odin - Convoy leader Dave Steenburg and admin of the Convoy Facebook page Jason LaFace both have posted material by Soldiers of Odin, a neo-Nazi vigilante group, on their Facebook pages, LaFace even wearing a SOO jacket.

American influence

The occupation of Ottawa has received considerable attention from media commentators and politicians in the United States, who have been accused of propagating exaggerated claims about the protest, or making unfounded claims about the roles and actions of Canadian authorities and politicians with respect to the protest.

There is growing evidence that much of the funding and planning behind the protest originated in the United States, leading to speculation that it may be a "dry run" or an attempt to generate momentum for an insurrection within the United States. Ottawa's police chief, Peter Sloly, described a "significant element" of American involvement in the organization and funding of the protest. Many of the anonymous donors participating in the protest's GoFundMe campaign claimed to be from the US. The protest was endorsed by former US president Donald Trump, who, during his time in power, had regularly clashed with Trudeau over policy differences. In response to the convoy, Trump referred to Trudeau as a "far left lunatic" who "has destroyed Canada," and invited protesters to organize on his proposed social network.

In an op-ed for The Globe and Mail, former governor of the Bank of Canada, Mark Carney, strongly criticized the foreign involvement in "the sedition in Ottawa," describing donors as "foreign funders of an insurrection" who had "interfered in our domestic affairs".

Sometime before February 7, American authorities arrested a man from Akron, Ohio who had made a bomb threat against the Putnam County sheriff's office in Ottawa, Ohio, as well as a false report that he had been shot. The man revealed that he believed he was calling the headquarters of the Ottawa Police Service. Both law enforcement agencies concluded that the reports were swatting attempts intended to disrupt police activity during the protest.

Possible spread of COVID-19

During the weekend protest in Ottawa, the city's COVID-19 wastewater signal indicated a sharp increase in COVID-19 cases, suggesting a possible link between the gathering of protesters and the spread of COVID-19.

Statements and reactions

Canadian politicians

Liberal Party

"Freedom of expression, assembly and association are cornerstones of democracy, but Nazi symbolism, racist imagery and desecration of war memorials are not."

— Justin Trudeau

Justin Trudeau, the Prime Minister of Canada, dismissed the supply chain disruption concerns as unfounded on the basis that most Canadian truckers have been vaccinated. On January 31, Trudeau called the protests an "insult to truth", saying that "we are not intimidated by those who hurl abuse at small business workers and steal food from the homeless" and "We won't give in to those who fly racist flags. We won't cave to those who engage in vandalism, or dishonour the memory of our veterans."

Omar Alghabra, the Minister of Transport, said on January 31, that since January 15 when the truck drivers' vaccine mandate came into effect, the traffic volumes of transport trucks crossing the Canada-U.S. border had not decreased. Compared to the fall of 2021, and based on Statistics Canada's most recent figures, even with a "massive snowstorm, even though it was a U.S. holiday, we had almost 100,000 truckers cross the border". On CTV's January 30 Question Period he said that some voices in the crowd of protestors are "really disturbing and unacceptable" and "must be condemned"; this included those carrying signs with swastikas and Confederate flags, and those who called for the overthrow of the government. On January 24, he described them as a "the small number of far-right, vocal opposition that is polluting" the debate surrounding vaccine mandates.

Conservative Party

Erin O'Toole, Leader of the Official Opposition and the Conservative Party as the convoys started, initially declined to support the protest, saying instead that the best way to maintain supply chains is for truckers to get vaccinated. O'Toole then later said he would meet with the protesters, but would not participate in nor attend their demonstration in Ottawa. O'Toole tweeted "I support their right to be heard, and I call on Justin Trudeau to meet with these hard-working Canadians to hear their concerns". O'Toole, a veteran of the Canadian Armed Forces, later condemned the protesters for desecrating the war memorials on Parliament Hill. O'Toole was ousted on a leadership review on February 2, some party members citing his policy reversals on issues such as his support for the protest.

Conservative MPs Candice Bergen, Pierre Poilievre, Andrew Scheer, Garnett Genuis, Martin Shields, Warren Steinley, Jeremy Patzer, and Leslyn Lewis all expressed their support for the convoy and truckers' movement. Damien Kurek and Michael Cooper attended the rally, serving food. Cooper was further interviewed on television. A person in behind Cooper had an upside-down Canadian flag with a swastika; Cooper says that he was unaware. Bergen, who became interim Conservative leader after Erin O'Toole's ouster, has privately advocated against dispersing protesters, and insisted in the House that Trudeau extend an "olive branch". Before O'Toole was removed from the Conservative leadership, Bergen had implored him to support the protestors, saying that "there were good people on both sides", an echo of the phrase made by Donald Trump in regards to the Unite the Right rally in 2017. Bergen asked protesters to go home, on February 10, calling them "patriotic," and noting that her party "will stand up for you" in trying to end pandemic restrictions.

On February 10, as a third border blockade began in Manitoba, the Conservatives reversed their position supporting the border blockades. Bergen called for the blockades to disperse, "for the sake of the economy", but vowed to continue pushing the governing Liberals to release a clear plan for ending COVID-19 restrictions.

Other Canadian politicians

People's Party of Canada leader Maxime Bernier, Ontario Party Leader Derek Sloan, and Independent Ontario MPP Randy Hillier, all ousted Conservatives, expressed support for the convoy protests. The People's Party organized a rally in Waterloo on January 23 supporting the convoy, at which Bernier and Hillier both spoke. Bernier also attended the January 29 event at Parliament Hill, criticizing Erin O'Toole for not attending. Hillier would later speak at the convoy, stating "this is the hill we die on."

Other Canadian politicians—including Jagmeet Singh, leader of the New Democratic Party, and Ottawa City Councillor Katherine McKenney—described the protests as extremist. Mayor of Port Coquitlam Brad West condemned the defacing of Fox's statue during the protest. Doug Ford, the Conservative Premier of Ontario, called the protest in Ottawa "an occupation" and called for an end to the protests.

On January 29, Scott Moe, Conservative Premier of Saskatchewan, issued a letter in support of the protest. Although repeatedly encouraging vaccination, Moe argued that it would only reduce the chance of severe outcomes, and did not prevent being infected by or transmitting COVID-19—a statement that was subsequently disputed—and for that reason he did not support the cross-border vaccine mandate, and would lift proof of vaccination requirements in Saskatchewan "in the not too-distant future".

American politicians

Various Republican politicians endorsed the Freedom Convoy including U.S. Senator Steve Daines, U.S. Representatives Jim Banks, Dan Bishop, Lauren Boebert, Ken Buck, Madison Cawthorn, Jim Jordan, Kevin McCarthy, Chip Roy, and Steve Scalise, Governor Ron DeSantis, former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, former U.S. President Donald Trump, and Donald Trump Jr.

Former United States Ambassador to Canada Bruce Heyman criticized American groups' support and funding of the protests.

Organizations

In their February 7 statement, Teamsters Canada, representing more than 55,000 professional drivers, including approximately 15,000 long-haul truck drivers, of whom 90 per cent are vaccinated, said that the protest "serves to delegitimize the real concerns of most truck drivers today". The statement said that the convoy and "the despicable display of hate led by the political right and shamefully encouraged by elected conservative politicians does not reflect the values of Teamsters Canada."

On January 25, the Canadian Trucking Alliance (CTA), a truckers' trade association and the federal government issued a formal statement reinforcing the use of vaccinations, along with other public health measures, to protect Canadian health care and to reduce COVID-19 risk. In the statement the CTA and the government committed to working together to respond supply chain constraints. A January 29 CTA statement cautioned the public that a "great number of protestors" have no connection to the trucking industry and "have a separate agenda beyond a disagreement over cross border vaccine requirements". CTA's January 22 statement had announced that they do "not support support and strongly disapprove of any protests on public roadways, highways, and bridges" and the disruption of the "motoring public on highways and commerce at the border". CTA members can express their disagreement with government policies by holding an "organized, lawful event on Parliament Hill". Stephen Laskowski, CTA president said the trucking industry "must adapt and comply with this mandate".

The Private Motor Truck Council of Canada noted concern about the convoy's "racist remarks", citing the comparisons to Nazis and communism. The Atlantic Provinces Trucking Association and the British Columbia Trucking Association both criticized the protest.

The Terry Fox Foundation also condemned the defacing of Fox's statue with anti-mandate signs.

The Royal Canadian Legion called protesters dancing on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier "shocking" and "strongly condemn[ed]" their actions.

The Simon Wiesenthal Center for Holocaust Studies denounced the use of Nazi symbols by some of the protesters.

The Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms provides legal support of the convoy and its contacts with media.

The Canadian Labour Congress called the protest in Ottawa "an occupation by an angry mob trying to disguise itself as a peaceful protest".

Various trucking companies have tried to distance themselves from the convoys, claiming that the vehicles are owner-operated, despite featuring their logos.

Others

General Wayne Eyre, Canada's Chief of the Defence Staff, said he was "sickened to see protesters dance on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and desecrate the National War Memorial", after video of such events surfaced online January 29.

Barry Prentice, transportation economy professor at University of Manitoba, stated that the truckers should be treated differently than flight crews or passenger-train employees, and that the positive aspects of vaccine mandates should be evaluated against the disruptions they would cause to the freight industry. Elon Musk tweeted "Canadian truckers rule" and followed it up with "If you scare people enough, they will demand removal of freedom. This is the path to tyranny." English comedian Russell Brand released a video decrying the media for ignoring reporting on the protest. Brand also said in the video that "Truckers, who were previously regarded as heroes when they were delivering vital goods and working during the lockdown, are now villains as they protest vaccine mandates". Krista Haynes, daughter of Ontario Premier Doug Ford and active anti-lockdown and anti-vaccine campaigner, attended a rally in support of the truckers as they headed to Ottawa.

Opinion polls

A survey by Abacus Data of 1,410 Canadian adults, conducted between January 31 and February 2, 2022, reported that 32 per cent of respondents stated that they "had a lot in common" with the protestors and their worldview, while 68 per cent stated that they "had very little in common" with the demonstrators and their ideology. Furthermore, 43 per cent of respondents stated that they felt the protest was "respectful and appropriate", while 57 per cent viewed it as "offensive and inappropriate".

A study by Vox Pop Labs among a randomly pre-selected sample of 2,339 respondents, conducted between January 4 and 10, 2022, found that around 70 per cent of Canadians were willing to support a general vaccine mandate for all non-exempt adults over the age of 18, while around 30 per cent disagreed.

A routine political poll by Léger in Canada questioned respondents on the protest between February 4 and 6, 2022, and found that it was opposed by 62% of respondents, with 47% strongly opposing it. 32% supported it, while 7% were unsure. On its subsequent questionnaire, a further 65% expressed the belief that the convoy represented "a small minority of selfish Canadians," 57% viewed it as "not about vaccine mandates and pandemic restrictions" but rather "an opportunity for right wing supremacist groups to rally and voice their frustrations about society," and 52% likened it to the 2021 United States Capitol attack. Opposition to the convoy was highest among respondents living in urban areas, those vaccinated for COVID-19, and those aged 55 and up; while support for the convoy was highest among the unvaccinated, respondents aged 18 to 54, and respondents living in Alberta.

Noise complaints and lawsuit

On February 4, 2022, Ottawa human rights lawyer Paul Champ filed a $9.8 million class action lawsuit against the organizers of the Freedom Convoy on behalf of downtown Ottawa residents over continuous air horn and train horn noise. The lawsuit is seeking $4.8 million for "private nuisance" and $5 million in punitive damages. In response to the suit, convoy organizers agreed to cease horn noise until 1:00 p.m. on February 6; however, many protesters ignored the agreement.

The lawsuit went to court on the afternoon of February 5 and a hearing was adjourned to February 7. On February 6, Champ posted an ultimatum to protesters in Ottawa that they would be released from the lawsuit if they left Ottawa by 10:00 a.m. EST on February 7.

On February 7, Ontario Superior Court of Justice Hugh McLean issued a 10-day injunction on vehicles from honking their horns in downtown Ottawa.

Related protests

Alberta–Montana border crossing

On January 29, the date that the Freedom Convoy arrived in Ottawa, a group of truckers blockaded the Sweetgrass–Coutts Border Crossing—one of the busiest ports of entry west of the Great Lakes which connects Sweet Grass, Montana, via U.S. Interstate 15 with the village of Coutts, Alberta, via Alberta Highway 4. The United States Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is located at this crossing, making it the principal port of entry for Alberta's large meat industry, and one of three main points where all meat products from the rest of western Canada cross the border, according to the Canadian Meat Council. The group of around 100 protesters demanded an end to all COVID-19 restrictions. The blockade, which extended about 2 km (1.2 mi) into Canada, also blocked public and emergency vehicle access to the village of Coutts, prompting condemnation from the town's mayor. Alberta Premier Jason Kenney called the blockade illegal, and threatened that protesters would face penalties under the province's Critical Infrastructure Defence Act.

Alberta RCMP initially negotiated with protesters for a peaceful end to the blockade, and protesters agreed to release about 50 vehicles trapped on Highway 4 and U.S. Interstate 15. However, on February 1, police ceased negotiations and demanded that protesters leave the highway, and set up a police roadblock on Highway 4 about 20 km (12 mi) north of Coutts. A few vehicles left the area however most remained, and several incidents of violence against police and civilians were reported, including protesters ramming RCMP vehicles. Some vehicles wanting to join the blockade evaded the RCMP roadblock by driving through a ditch and drove south in the highway's northbound lanes, resulting in a head-on collision.

Toronto protest

Toronto version of the Freedom Convoy protest on February 5, outside of the Royal Ontario Museum

On February 4, 2022, some vehicles and tractors arrived outside the Royal Ontario Museum on Avenue Road north of Queen's Park in Toronto. Also on February 4, Toronto Police started closing roads in the downtown in anticipation of a large protest and told residents to expect a larger police presence during the weekend.

On February 5, truckers, tractor drivers, and protesters arrived in Queen's Park to protest COVID-19 vaccine mandates. In response, a group of healthcare workers staged a counter-protest. Protest activity later moved north to Bloor Street and later to the intersection of Bloor Street West and Avenue Road. Hundreds of protesters and several trucks blocked the intersection for hours. Long stretches of major arterial roads, including University Avenue, College Street, and Yonge Street, were shut down. Fearing possible threats against healthcare workers, University Health Network and Sinai Health System, which operate major hospitals in the protest area, warned their employees to avoid wearing any clothing or badges that would identify them as health-care workers outside hospital premises.

During the protest, a 22-year-old man was arrested and charged with assault with a weapon, use of a smoke bomb (administering a noxious substance), and public mischief. A second man was arrested for assault with a weapon after throwing feces at another person.

Winnipeg protest

On February 5, at a related protest in downtown Winnipeg, four people were injured in a ramming incident. A 42-year-old man was arrested after driving into protesters. One of the injured was hospitalized and later released. As of February 7, protests were on their fourth day. Police have yet to write tickets or lay charges against protesters, despite numerous noise complaints, fireworks without permit, and incidents of "homophobia, racism, and gender-based harassment."

Ontario-Michigan border crossing

Protesters at the Ambassador Bridge, connecting Windsor, Ontario, with Detroit, Michigan, and one of the busiest international border crossings in North America, blockaded the border crossing on February 7. On the evening of February 7, movement at the bridge came to a complete halt. The blockade continued into February 8. On the morning of February 8, officials declared the bridge reopened, but the blockade resumed, pushing trips to the Blue Water Bridge between Sarnia and Port Huron. Supply shortages caused by the blockade led to work shortages at Ford Motor Company's assembly plants in Oakville and in Lansing, Michigan, and shut down its Windsor plant. Parts manufacturers for Chrysler were also shut down, and on February 10 Toyota revealed that its three Ontario plants could not produce vehicles for the rest of the week. The Bank of Canada warned that the blockade could have a "measurable impact" on the Canadian economy.

Other Canadian protests

Truckers and protesters have gathered in Oakville, Mississauga, Vaughan, other parts of the Greater Toronto Area, Orangeville, Quebec City, Fredericton, Vancouver, Vancouver Island, Kelowna, Regina, and Victoria.

International protests

The Freedom Convoy also inspired several Facebook and Telegram groups organizing similar protests in 34 countries including Argentina, Austria, Cyprus, New Zealand, Australia and the United States. As is the case in Canada, demonstrations were supported by local far-right groups, for example in Finland by members of neo-fascist Blue-and-Black Movement, Soldiers of Odin and Power Belongs to the People and in Germany by far-right Reichsbürger movement and Alternative for Germany.

In February 2022, a solidarity protest was organized in the United Kingdom with a convoy driving from Scotland to London with stop-off locations in cities throughout the British isles. Other convoys were reported in Wales and parts of England. Officials in Paris and Brussels banned protests relating to the Freedom Convoy, following information from organizers of a similar event opposed to France's Health Pass, le Convoi de la Liberté, that five convoys from across France are due to reach Paris between February 11 and 14.

See also

• List of protests in the 21st century
• Occupation (protest)
• Occupy Wall Street
• Yellow vests protests
• 2012 Sicilian protests
• Trumpism in Canada
• Populism in Canada
• Trumpism in Canada

External links

• Media related to Freedom Convoy 2022 at Wikimedia Commons