50,000 Truckers Assemble To Protest Canada's Vaccine Mandate

Background: On January 15, Canada’s shot mandate on cross-border truckers went into effect. The United States instituted the same mandate a week later.

• As much as 20% of Canadian and American cross-border truck drivers would be out of work with the mandates. That’s 32,000 drivers.

• The loss of drivers from the mandates would negatively impact both the American and Canadian economies. Inflation rates can go up with slowed shipping and supply chain processes.

The science: Truckers spend the majority of their time in solitude. They’re not a serious concern for viral spread. Additionally, the shot does not prevent infection or spread and can’t stop the pandemic.

The trucker response: A convoy of an estimated 50,000 truckers are heading towards Ottawa to protest the mandates. The “Freedom Convoy 2022,” spanning 50 miles long, is officially against all government mandates, not just the ones for truckers. Thousands of Canadian employees were fired last year for refusing the shot.

• Snopes has attempted to "debunk" these numbers, but they have no real evidence to back up their claim. Based on images and testimonies from onlookers, the 50,000 number is possible and might even be an underestimation.

The government’s response: In attempts to demonize the protestors, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said that the protest participants are a "small fringe minority” who hold “unacceptable views.” The federal government has said that it will not back down.

This “small fringe minority” is actually 30% of Canada’s population who don’t support firing workers who refuse the shot.

Big picture: There is no scientific or moral justification to force the shot on truck drivers. These working-class Canadians and Americans who support vital aspects of the economy are fighting for medical freedom and the ability to work.