The Freedom Convoy: How One Grassroots Movement Stood Against Tyranny

People gather in protest against COVID-19 mandates and in support of a protest against COVID-19 restrictions taking place in Ottawa, in Edmonton, Canada, on Feb. 5, 2022. (Jason Franson/The Canadian Press via AP)

Commentary

Across the world, many remember the Freedom Convoy in the early days of 2022, with the crowded overpasses and the Canadian and American flags waving side by side for freedom. The documentary “Trucking for Freedom Chapter Two: Winter Wildfire,” available on EpochTV, shows the inspirational story of a country uniting for liberty and the power of grassroots movements.

Canada’s Harsh COVID Measures

The film cites that two years into the COVID-19 pandemic, almost 90 percent of Canadians were vaccinated. Despite this, Canada remained one of the most locked-down places in the world. Leading up to the convoy, every Canadian province had implemented vaccine passports. Unvaccinated Canadians were barred from restaurants, cafes, and internal travel. Some were even denied life-saving medical procedures. College students were threatened, banned from campus grounds, and deregistered from classes. In addition, vaccines were mandated for the federal workforce and the federally regulated transportation sectors.

Yet when the Omicron variant hit, it affected vaccinated and unvaccinated equally. The film shows public health data revealing that the vaccinated were more susceptible to infection from Omicron. The documentary cites growing hostility toward the unvaccinated due to accusations that they were prolonging the pandemic. So when Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s campaign pledged to implement mandatory vaccination for cross-border truckers, a movement was born from an unexpected place. According to the film, this movement would shake the very foundation of Canadian society.

Discrimination Toward the Unvaccinated

The film features truckers talking about the discrimination they faced for being unvaccinated, from being unable to eat at restaurants, being denied written exemptions, facing run-ins with the law, and being treated poorly. Many felt defeated, but the voices that were ready and willing to stand up to the mandates gave others renewed passion for fighting for what they believed in.

Brigitte Belton, a former cross-border driver and founder of the Freedom Convoy 2022, said she saw her fellow truckers sharing their passion for resistance on social media and knew she wanted to do something: “I was done. I didn’t know if I could fight. But hearing the rest of them talking about it, we could do this. We can do something.” But, she said: “I just have to get people on my side. And I have to let them know why it’s so important to me. And why people shouldn’t be suffering at the hands of their government.”

Truckers, small business owners, and social media influencers started discussing freedom convoys. The idea evolved from local demonstrations to trans-Canada pilgrimages to Canada’s capital, Ottawa. The movement began as grassroots and disorganized, but when an organization known as Canda Unity put forth a clear plan on its website, it spread like wildfire.

An image from video footage featured in "Trucking for Freedom Chapter Two: Winter Wildfire" (EpochTV)

Thousands of truckers embarked on the journey, gaining steam along the way. Overpasses, roadways, and highways were packed with supporters, displaying flags and homemade signs supporting freedom from the mandates. But, unfortunately, the Canadian government began spearheading a hate-filled narrative in what the film referred to as “information warfare” geared toward the convoy and Canadian citizens. The film shows how the government and mainstream news outlets promoted misinformation that painted the convoy as dangerous.

Andrew MacGillivray, a retired Naval Warfare officer, estimated that over 95 percent of the information the government was circulating, which he saw from the intelligence side, was incorrect. Trudeau is featured in a news clip accusing the convoy of abuse toward other citizens, hateful rhetoric, and performing acts of violence. The government and mainstream media outlets called them a “small fringe minority” with “unacceptable views.” Truckers in the film express the pain of being labeled as a fringe minority, bigots, racists, etc., by the leaders that were supposed to serve them.

An Outpouring of Unity and Support

However, despite efforts to skew the image of the grassroots movement, an outpouring of raw footage emerged as the convoy gained steam, telling a very different story. Canada was coming together, even while its leaders were attacking and diminishing them. Hardworking Canadians wanted to be heard by their government. The EpochTV episode cites polls that showed even those triple-vaccinated were offering support and ready for a conversation on the mandates.

Along the routes, people came out to support their fellow Canadians. Despite the frigid temperatures, crowds gathered, cheering and honking; kids attended the rally instead of school, parents waved flags, and fires were lit. There were fireworks, and bystanders handed out food and coffee to the truckers. People threw supplies in the backs of the trucks in an outpour of love, generosity, and support. The truckers cite this as an emotional experience that they didn’t expect.

An image from video footage featured in "Trucking for Freedom Chapter Two: Winter Wildfire" (EpochTV)

Countries worldwide established their own convoys against mandates, including Australia, London, Switzerland, and the United States. Twenty-seven countries at one point organized similar convoys in support of Canadian truck drivers. International recognition highlighted the core intent of the movement—to bring Canada together again as a country, end the division, unite the nation from west to east, and stand in solidarity to accomplish a collective goal. Out of this movement was born hope and unity that had been scarce even throughout Canada’s history. The movement was initially thought to last only a few days but lasted nearly a month. As a result of the convoy, two Canadian provinces, Alberta and Saskatchewan, dropped their mandates.

Convoy footage features one trucker explaining the motives behind their actions. “A lot of people may not agree with us right now, but there may come a time when they actually have an issue that affects them, and they don’t have the freedom to choose. And if we don’t preserve it, we won’t have it, and our kids won’t have it. Our kids won’t be able to live the life they want to or choose to, so this is just for them.” The people of Canada wanted to remind government officials that they were hired by the people and for the people.

A Conversation About Freedom Emerged

From the movement emerged a broader discussion emerged regarding the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, the Canadian Bill of Rights, and the International Declaration of Human Rights. The film cites that the mandates tested whether or not written individual rights and freedoms meant something in Canada. The film notes that laws created which violate the Charter of Rights are null and void. When rights were taken away, the people of Canada turned to the available documents that restored their rights. According to the documentary, Canadians had been watching the erosion of their freedom of speech and expression for years. Finally, they stood up and said enough.

An image from video footage featured in "Trucking for Freedom Chapter Two: Winter Wildfire" (EpochTV)

The mandates impacted too many. People lost their jobs, faced discrimination, and saw the harmful effects of the extreme COVID measures. Yet, parents, children, neighbors, and freedom-loving people, vaccinated and unvaccinated alike, united in the name of love and peace. The convoy gathered for 22 days. Many were not leaving until the mandates were removed.

The documentary on EpochTV features Dr. Julie Ponesse, who was terminated from her job for not complying with the vaccine mandate. At the film’s time, she served as an ethics scholar for The Democracy Fund. According to Ponesse, history shows that the vast majority will comply their way toward atrocities: “that’s not surprising at all. What’s surprising are these outliers, these people who say, ‘I’m going to step outside the shadow of the crowd. There are things that are more important to me than the comfort that the group can give me. And I will hold onto my integrity no matter what losses may come, even if that’s my life.’”

Watch “Trucking for Freedom Chapter Two: Winter Wildfire” on EpochTV here.

Views expressed in this article are opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.