Ottawa, ON — Canada’s Minister of Transport is defending new mandates for truckers as thousands of drivers and concerned citizens are supporting a nationwide protest set to begin this weekend.

On Thursday, Minister of Transport Omar Alghabra took to social media to offer an explanation why Canadian governmental leaders are imposing vaccination, testing, and quarantining restrictions on cross-border truckers.

“The biggest threat to our supply chain is COVID,” he said. “Keeping our stores stocked and our warehouses full requires truckers on the road not at home sick or in the hospital. That is why we created the vaccine mandate for truckers.”

Further, Alghabra argued “almost 90%” of Canadian truckers are already jabbed and “more are getting their shot.”

“They are doing their part to keep our economy moving!” he exclaimed.

The biggest threat to our supply chain is COVID. Keeping our stores stocked and our warehouses full requires truckers on the road not at home sick or in the hospital. That is why we created the vaccine mandate for truckers.

— Omar Alghabra (@OmarAlghabra) January 20, 2022

However, as Transportation Nation Network (TNN) reported early this week, a group of truckers and activists are holding a nationwide “slow roll” protest called the “Freedom Convoy.”

Organizers have mapped out five routes from across the country with the plan to converge in Ottawa on Sunday, January 29.

Click HERE to view the routes.

According to the group’s website, participants will begin in British Columbia on Saturday, January 22, and travel approximately 444 miles (715 km) from Prince Rupert to Prince George.

Brigitte Belton, an owner-operator from Wallaceburg, ON, who is one of the organizers of the Freedom Convoy, told TNN this week all participants are being urged to remain peaceful and lawful.

“Our intention is to get our Prime Minister’s attention,” she said. “He doesn’t understand that Canada’s truckers bring him the goods his people need. What is he going to do when he doesn’t have the drivers?”

In an update on the Freedom Convoy’s Facebook page, the group claims “tens of thousands of vehicles” will be participating.

A GoFundMe campaign launched late last week has raked in more than C$1.2 million from more than 15,000 donations.

Organizers say the funding will be used to provide:

• A motorcoach to travel cross country for media reporters;
• Food/water/showers for drivers;
• Pet supplies, i.e.: food/water/poop bags;
• Porta potties at Confederation Park in Ottawa;
• An Army-style mess hall tent for bonfires and a place for truck drivers to eat;
• Donations for hotels and people to help put drivers up for up to ten days if needed once they arrive in Ottawa.

TransportationNation.com will continue to follow this story as it unfolds.

Photo courtesy of Tissen Tobias/Twitter

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