Rally calls for end to public health restrictions

THUNDER BAY – About 100 people joined a "no mandate" rally in Thunder Bay on Saturday, expressing solidarity with protesters in Ottawa calling for an end to public health measures meant to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and prevent hospitals from becoming overwhelmed.

Thunder Bay's regional hospital has reported unprecedented COVID-related admissions in the past two weeks, though CEO Rhonda Crocker-Ellacott expressed optimism Friday that wave may have peaked. Many non-urgent medical procedures remain paused in the meantime.

Protesters drove in small convoys around the city honking and flying Canadian flags before gathering at Waverley Park Saturday afternoon.

Sean, an organizer with a group calling itself No Mandates Thunder Bay, who said he's also a Registered Nurse, expressed satisfaction with the turnout.

“I think there are a lot of people here in Thunder Bay who really wanted to participate but aren’t able to make it to Ottawa," he said. "There’s a lot of us actually who have felt alone, so alone, for two years – so it’s nice to know there are people out there who share your opinion.”

He sought to distance the rally from elements that have dogged protests in Ottawa, saying those who brought symbols of hate to the protests there, or harassed people for wearing masks, don’t represent the movement.

Addressing the crowd at Waverley Park, he urged participants to keep more controversial views to themselves to avoid distracting from the core message (a social media post promoting the event asked protesters to "consider leaving the 'f-trudeau' signs at home").

“We’re here to say no more mandates,” he said in an interview. “We’re not here as anti-vaxxers. There may be some people here who do have those views, and that’s very interesting. We’ve asked them to leave those views at home.”

The un-vaccinated have made up a disproportionate number of those receiving intensive care for COVID-19 locally and provincially, and continue to be at higher risk for complications if infected.

The presence of swastikas and Confederate flags at Ottawa protests, along with the white supremacist ties of some convoy organizers, and rampant reports of harassment and intimidation by Ottawa residents and businesses, have all raised concerns.

Sean, along with other attendees, expressed frustration the movement was being tied to what he described as "fringe elements" he said were being exploited by the media.

"I’m not ashamed of being in support of the Ottawa protests," he said. "From the information I’ve been able to gather, they’re protesting against mandates… With regards to some of the fringe elements that have been showing up at these events, it’s deeply regrettable. We try to do our best to discourage that sort of behaviour."

“I don’t think there should be any of that,” agreed a protester named Michelle. “I think that is the small fringe – I think that’s the minority. But it's freedom of speech – we’re all allowed to say what we want. I don’t agree with it at all, but that’s their right.”

Saturday marked her first time attending a protest, she said.

“Everybody has a right to choice,” she said. “We shouldn’t have to be forced to do things.”

One woman who said she'd lost her job as a technician at the local hospital over her refusal to be vaccinated addressed the crowd, saying she faced not only job loss but ostracism by coworkers over the decision.

Another woman told the crowd she had recently moved to Thunder Bay from Victoria, B.C. after being suspended without pay from the federal civil service, for the same reason.

A protester named Jim said he knew several people who had lost jobs over their decision not to be vaccinated.

“We don’t want to be ejected from society,” he said. “We can’t go anywhere now unless we have this vaccine passport. I don’t have it, and I’m not going to get it.”

Many other protesters declined to speak to media, with some calling reporters “liars” and “fake news.”

All protesters who spoke with TBNewswatch said they don’t trust information from governments, public health, or mainstream media.

An Abacus poll of 1,410 people released this week suggested over two-thirds of Canadians reject the protests, but that they've resonated with nearly a third of the population. A majority of People's Party and Green Party voters in the poll supported the movement, along with 46 per cent of Conservative voters.

A majority of those polled – 57 per cent – said they found the protest "offensive and inappropriate."

While the so-called freedom convoy that arrived in Ottawa last week was described as a truckers movement, it has not been endorsed by major trucking bodies.

Earlier Saturday, the Ontario Trucking Association, which represents trucking companies operating in the province, joined its federal counterpart in disavowing the protests.

In a statement, president Stephen Laskowski said the vast majority of long-haul drivers were already vaccinated and ready to "adapt and comply" with a vaccine mandate imposed bilaterally by the Canada and U.S. governments for truckers crossing the border.

"It appears that most protesters have no connection to the trucking industry and have separate grievances beyond the cross-border vaccine requirements," he said, while calling on any drivers who do participate in protests to "deliver [their] message responsibly."

The Canadian Trucking Alliance has estimated 90 per cent of drivers across the country are vaccinated.

Convoy organizers declined to speak with media after a verbal confrontation when the group, consisting of nearly 400 vehicles according to the OPP, passed through Thunder Bay on Jan. 26.

Kenora MP Eric Melillo, the only federal Conservative representative in Northwestern Ontario, expressed his view this week it was time for Ottawa protesters to "move on," saying they were blocking critical infrastructure.

While he stopped short of disavowing the protest, his comments stood in contrast to a number of Conservative MPs who have endorsed the movement, which has also drawn praise from former U.S. President Donald Trump and been heavily promoted on right-wing outlets like Fox News and The Post Millenial.