Hundreds of Maritimers gather along highways Thursday in support of the 'freedom convoy'
Hundreds of Maritimers lined highways, packed parking lots and showed their support on Thursday for the rally of truckers headed to Ottawa in protest of Canada-wide COVID-19 mandates.
Truck drivers from as far away as Newfoundland and Labrador converged in Enfield, N.S., early Thursday morning to receive a sendoff from hundreds who braved the cold.
"This is a country which today has come together in unity to stand for freedom. We are going to Ottawa to end the mandates and get our rights back so people can go to work again," said Martin Broadmann, president of Truckers United.
On Jan. 15, Canada began to require all travellers, including essential workers like truck drivers, to show proof of vaccination when crossing the border. The United States imposed a similar requirement on truckers crossing the northern border with Canada and the southern border with Mexico as of Jan. 22.
Many truckers have since expressed their anger with the federal government's mandate.
"I don't think it reflects what Canada is about, to be honest," said Jean-Marc Picard, the executive director of Atlantic Provinces Trucking Association, about the protest.
Truck drivers from across Canada and their supporters are expected to arrive in Ottawa over the coming days as part of the rally.
Beverley Nicol, a Moncton, N.B., resident, was one of many who gathered along an overpass just outside of the city on Thursday in support of the "freedom convoy."
"I want to support the truckers who are standing up for our rights and freedoms to have choice, vaccine choice, and not be forced to follow government regulations," said Nicol.
Despite the number of supporters who showed up across the region on Thursday, Picard doesn't expect many Maritime truck drivers will actually be involved with the freedom rally.
"For the most part, I don't think there's going to be a huge number of Atlantic Canada, of truck drivers," said Picard. "There might be people going on the convoy, but they're not necessarily part of trucking."
Don Desserud, a political science professor at the University of Prince Edward Island, says mixed messaging can be an issue with protests of this size, when multiple groups are involved.
"What protesters have to do is be absolutely clear about what exactly it is that they're concerned about because that could easily be misconstrued and then the wrong approach is taken, the wrong response is taken, which is not really what they're after," said Desserud.
As far as supply chain issues caused by the freedom convoy, Picard says so far, there seem to be no disruptions. However, he is concerned about protests planned for this weekend, which could potentially see blockades at the Nova Scotia-New Brunswick border.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Widow looking for answers after Quebec man dies in Texas Ironman competition
The widow of a Quebec man who died competing in an Ironman competition is looking for answers.
Tom Mulcair: Park littered with trash after 'pilot project' is perfect symbol of Trudeau governance
Former NDP leader Tom Mulcair says that what's happening now in a trash-littered federal park in Quebec is a perfect metaphor for how the Trudeau government runs things.
World seeing near breakdown of international law amid wars in Gaza and Ukraine, Amnesty says
The world is seeing a near breakdown of international law amid flagrant rule-breaking in Gaza and Ukraine, multiplying armed conflicts, the rise of authoritarianism and huge rights violations in Sudan, Ethiopia and Myanmar, Amnesty International warned Wednesday as it published its annual report.
Photographer alleges he was forced to watch Megan Thee Stallion have sex and was unfairly fired
A photographer who worked for Megan Thee Stallion said in a lawsuit filed Tuesday that he was forced to watch her have sex, was unfairly fired soon after and was abused as her employee.
Amid concerns over 'collateral damage' Trudeau, Freeland defend capital gains tax change
Facing pushback from physicians and businesspeople over the coming increase to the capital gains inclusion rate, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his deputy Chrystia Freeland are standing by their plan to target Canada's highest earners.
U.S. Senate passes bill forcing TikTok's parent company to sell or face ban, sends to Biden for signature
The Senate passed legislation Tuesday that would force TikTok's China-based parent company to sell the social media platform under the threat of a ban, a contentious move by U.S. lawmakers that's expected to face legal challenges.
Wildfire southwest of Peace River spurs evacuation order
People living near a wildfire burning about 15 kilometres southwest of Peace River are being told to evacuate their homes.
U.S. Senate overwhelmingly passes aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan with big bipartisan vote
The U.S. Senate has passed US$95 billion in war aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, sending the legislation to President Joe Biden after months of delays and contentious debate over how involved the United States should be in foreign wars.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.