Truck convoy leaves Metro Vancouver en route to Ottawa vaccine mandate protest
A convoy of truckers and their supporters gathered in Delta Sunday morning for the start of a cross-country trip intended to deliver a message to Ottawa in protest of vaccine mandates for workers crossing the border between Canada and the United States.
About a dozen trucks rolled out of a truck stop just after 7 a.m., and the group expected more drivers to join as it passed through major cities in B.C. and Western Canada.
“A lot of us are going to be forced out of having a job by not being able to cross the border,” said trucker Colin Valentim, one of the organizers.
“Being forced out of the job is going to impact every Canadian. That’s a lot of loads that can’t cross the border, which is a lot of goods that will not make it to store shelves.”
Valentim hauls freight throughout Western Canada and the Pacific Northwest of the United States.
He would not disclose his vaccination status.
Any travellers entering Canada at the land border who have not been immunized with at least two doses, including truckers, must quarantine for 14 days.
“I’m not against vaccines at all. I’m against being told that you will do it or you will lose your job. That’s my problem,” said Valentim.
On Saturday, the United States also introduced a policy requiring Canadian truck drivers to be double-dosed in order to enter the United States.
“This regulation is not changing, so as an industry we must adapt and comply with this mandate,” Stephen Laskowski of the Canadian Trucking Alliance told CTV News in an interview. “The only way to cross the border in a commercial truck or any other vehicle is to get vaccinated.”
Laskowski said the overall vaccination rate in the Canadian trucking industry is close to that of the general population. He also condemned the truck convoy protest.
“The Canadian Trucking Alliance does not support and strongly disapproves of any protests on public roadways, highways and bridges,” Laskowski said. “CTA believes such actions, especially those that interfere with public safety and commerce at borders, are not how disagreements with public policy should be expressed.”
As of Sunday afternoon, an online fundraiser to help the protesting truckers in the convoy with costs during the trip had raised more than $2.5 million.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
How quietly promised law changes in the 2024 federal budget could impact your day-to-day life
The 2024 federal budget released last week includes numerous big spending promises that have garnered headlines. But, tucked into the 416-page document are also series of smaller items, such as promising to amend the law regarding infant formula and to force banks to label government rebates, that you may have missed.
Which foods have the most plastics? You may be surprised
'How much plastic will you have for dinner, sir? And you, ma'am?' While that may seem like a line from a satirical skit on Saturday Night Live, research is showing it's much too close to reality.
opinion I've been a criminal attorney for decades. Here's what I think about the case against Trump
Joey Jackson, a criminal defence attorney and a legal analyst for CNN, outlines what he thinks about the criminal case against Donald Trump in the 'hush money trial.'
$3.8M home in B.C.'s Okanagan has steel shell for extra wildfire protection
A home in B.C.'s Okanagan that features a weathering steel shell designed to provide some protection against wildfires has been listed for sale at $3.8 million.
Diver pinned under water by an alligator figured he had choice. Lose his arm or lose his life
An alligator attacked a diver on April 15 as he surfaced from his dive, nearly out of air. His tank emptied with the gator's jaws crushing the arm he put up in defence.
Psychologist becomes first person in Peru to die by euthanasia after fighting in court for years
A Peruvian psychologist who suffered from an incurable disease that weakened her muscles and had her confined to her bed for several years, died by euthanasia, her lawyer said Monday, becoming the first person in the country to obtain the right to die with medical assistance.
Mystery surrounds giant custom Canucks jerseys worn by Lions Gate Bridge statues
The giant stone statues guarding the Lions Gate Bridge have been dressed in custom Vancouver Canucks jerseys as the NHL playoffs get underway.
Celebrity designer sentenced to 18 months in prison for smuggling crocodile handbags
A leading fashion designer whose accessories were used by celebrities from Britney Spears to the cast of the 'Sex and the City' TV series was sentenced Monday to 18 months in prison after pleading guilty in Miami federal court on charges of smuggling crocodile handbags from her native Colombia.
Wildfire leads to evacuation order issued for northeast Alberta community
An evacuation order was issued on Monday afternoon for homes in the area of Cold Lake First Nation.