Truckers’ freedom convoys were held across Canada on Saturday, February 12th and, despite a cold, blustery and snowy day with frigid temperatures, Bruce County joined in with its own convoy.
Approximately 200 vehicles including tractors, trucks, big rigs and non-commercial vehicles gathered at Bruce Rd. 25 (CAW Rd.) in Port Elgin to join the route from Port Elgin through Southampton, and then along Hwy. 21 before heading to Tara on Bruce Rd. 10 and then to Burgoyne before going back to Port Elgin.
Along the route, many residents turned out to wave Canadian flags and cheer on the convoy while others were on the other side of the divide. Many questioned the motives of the convoy and stood behind the government mandates.
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Truckers began what they termed a ‘freedom’ movement almost three weeks ago in protest that required truckers to be vaccinated to cross the U.S. border and/or to have to go into a 14 day quarantine. As a result, border crossings have been blocked with a halt to cross-border shipping of supplies that have left both the U.S. and Canada concerned about supply chains.
Locally, on Saturday, and according to one bystander, “This has now divided our community here in Saugeen Shores – this is terrible.”
However, local resident Derrick Rimmer, who later joined the convoy, said, “This is not whether you are vaccinated or not. It is about choice and our rights under the Charter.”
Another bystander said, “While the government is saying we have a choice, it is coercing people … either they are vaccinated or they can’t work. This is totally wrong.”
Therefore, it appears that Saugeen Shores has joined other communities in becoming divided, some in support of the truckers’ freedom movement and others in support of government mandates.
Saugeen Shores Police Service were stationed in both Port Elgin and Southampton but there appeared to be no incidents that required intervention.