MP John Williamson Discusses "Freedom Convoy"

MP John Williamson of New Brunswick Southwest spent the first two weeks of what is now being dubbed the "Freedom Convoy" in Ottawa while in session in Parliament. Currently back in New Brunswick, Williamson says that while the protests in Ottawa have been loud and at times unruly, it is the demonstrators' right to be there. 

"It is the right of Canadians to protest regardless of their political opinions," says Williamson. "If there's something that the government has done or the Member of Parliament, they have a right to protest whether it's in Ottawa, Fredericton or in their municipality. I don't think it's up to politicians to to decide what protests should be allowed and which one shouldn't be allowed." 

Williamson is struck by what the "Freedom Convoy" has transformed into from its beginnings as a vaccine mandate protest.

"What's interesting and noteworthy about the trucker protest is that while it began as opposition to the vaccine mandates on truckers crossing the borders, now more than two weeks later, it has morphed into a movement opposed to lockdowns and COVID-19 restrictions," says Williamson. "You see a lot of people in in Ottawa particularly on the on the weekends from all backgrounds from across the country. On the disturbing side, about a week and a half ago it was clear that the civil authorities in Ottawa had lost control. I actually don't blame the protesters for that I blame the city police in Ottawa and the municipal leaders for allowing that to happen."

Williamson says that the federal government needs to accept the fact that the protest speaks to the beliefs and demands of a large fraction of the population and not just a 'fringe minority,' a term Trudeau uses to describe the protesters. "At first, only a third of Canadians said they identified with the message of the protest, but there was another poll out today that said it's now up to 46 percent," says Williamson. "This is a movement that is clearly speaking to a lot of people, and to the issue of lockdowns and restrictions. We're now seeing governments across the country responding and announcing that they are getting rid of the restrictions and and vaccine passports. I think the Prime Minister has has really made some some mistakes by denigrating the people there. I think the term 'small fringe minority' [that Trudeau has called the protesters] -- we're going to look back at that and compare it to Hillary Clinton when she used the term 'deplorables.' 

Williamson says the only way forward is for the government to take the time to listen to protesters. "I think it's going to take government ministers and the Prime Minister to begin to have some sort of dialogue to again so these Canadians feel they're being heard and their concerns or at least being considered. I'm not saying any government should capitulate, but governments can do a lot of things to cool things down and so far we've not seen that from the Trudeau government."