Canadian truckers protest mandates at U.S./Canada border

In the early morning hours on January 17, 2022, Canadian truckers took to the roads to protest against the vaccine mandate policies being implemented in Canada and the U.S. that would prevent unvaccinated cross-border truckers from doing their essential work.

In the early morning hours on January 17, 2022, around 3 a.m., a truck convoy descended near the U.S.-Canada border in Emerson, Manitoba, Canada to protest the vaccine mandate policies both the U.S. and Canada are implementing.

One of the planners of the truck protest in Manitoba named Rick who owns a trucking company in Southern Manitoba told Winnipeg Alternative Media that the truckers were out “to protest the mandates.”

Rick said that they weren’t just protesting the new mandate policies on truckers in Canada, but “for all mandates to end.”

Rick also said that this is not going to be the only trucking convoy protest, but that there are more planned Canada-wide against the mandates. Rick said that during the course of their protest they do not plan to block access to roads and plan to follow traffic laws.

“From a trucking standpoint, we are definitely essential. I mean there’s no ifs buts or maybe about it.” Rick said.

“If you think this isn’t going to affect you, it doesn’t matter where you work or what lifestyle you live, I can promise you this will affect you in a negative way. Majorly. There is likely going to be food shortages on your shelves. And we know this time of year who’s growing a garden in Canada? Uh, not many places,” Rick said while discussing the current mandates placed on the cross-border trucking industry.

On January 15, 2022, the Canadian government implemented a vaccine mandate for cross-border truck drivers.

The policy that came into effect on January 15, 2022, in Canada on cross-border truckers requires cross-border Canadian truckers to be vaccinated or face testing and quarantine requirements. Foreign truckers are required to be vaccinated or else they will be turned away from entering Canada.

Prior to January 15, 2022, trucking was considered essential and truckers were exempt from testing and two-week quarantine requirements.

Similarly, the U.S. has a vaccine mandate for truckers entering its borders coming into effect on January 22, 2022.

U.S. citizens, legal permanent residents, and people under the age of 17 will be exempt from the U.S. policy coming into effect on January 22, 2022.

The January 22, 2022 mandate in the U.S. will not only affect foreign truckers but also all foreign travelers.