By Simon Little Global News 1/23/2022
Hundreds of B.C. truckers took to the road Sunday kicking off what they called a “freedom convoy” to Ottawa in protest of the federal government’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate for cross-border truckers.
Scores of big rigs gathered in pre-dawn fog in Delta before rolling out, and will be joined by groups from Vancouver Island and communities in the B.C. Interior as they make their way east.
Colin Valentim, a truck owner-operator, said he will be helping lead the convoy to Calgary.
“The intent is to go right across the country and try to affect change with the government,” Valentim said.
“The mandates need to end for everybody, because the mandates they have now put into effect is going to affect everybody, not just the truckers.”
The federal government announced in November 2021 that Canadian truckers crossing into the U.S. would need to be vaccinated or face a 14-day quarantine.
The policy took effect last Saturday, despite opposition from the trucking industry, which has warned it could lead to supply chain issues. The Canadian Trucking Alliance says the “vast majority of truckers” are vaccinated, but has warned that the mandate could still affect up to 26,000 of the 160,000 Canadian truckers who regularly make trips across the U.S. border.
More:
https://globalnews.ca/news/8532559/freedom-convoy-truckers-covid-vaccine-mandate-leaves-metro-vancouver-ottawa/
