On Jan. 15, Canada began requiring fully vaccinated U.S. as well as other foreign truckers to obtain admission into the nation, and for a limited period, unvaccinated Canadian truckers were permitted to enter the country but were needed to quarantine for 14 days. The United States implemented a similar ban on Jan. 22, prohibiting unvaccinated Canadian truckers from transporting products across the border. Trucking and industry associations have warned of potential shortages of commodities as a result of Canada's trucker immunization mandate. It provoked a demonstration in downtown Ottawa by several drivers and their supporters, who demanded that the Liberal government repeal all vaccine requirements and social restrictions.
The demonstration, which is jamming Ottawa traffic, is in its fourth day, and the key organizers have pledged to stay in Ottawa until vaccination mandates are repealed. Since the demonstration began on Friday, there were no injuries or violent events, according to police. On Monday, some 500 protestors strolled around stalled trucks and down a nearby sidewalk, many holding Canadian flags and handwritten banners asking for an end to vaccine requirements. According to US trade data, merchandise trade between the US and Canada was more than $600 billion in 2019, one of most recent full year in which data is available. According to the Canadian exporting and transportation industries, vehicles transport about 80% of such items.
I understand that during a pandemic we need all citizens of the world need to commit to ending the virus and getting vaccinated. Both the US and Canada have been experiencing supply shortages and we need as many truckers as possible. It is a difficult position to take when forcing people to do something they dont want to do. Educating the truckers might be the only solution- undo the lies they have been told, explain the myths they believe and perhaps they get on board.
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