I was surprised to read Tami Raco’s piece in the Westside News on the Canadian Freedom Convoy 2022 as it is unusual to feature international news in a hyperlocal paper. True, there was a rally at the Rainbow bridge and local connections, but I found the long, descriptive portrayal of the convoy gauzy and one-sided.
The Canadian Truckers Alliance, a federation representing truckers across Canada, denounced the protest in January before it even left British Columbia headed to Ottawa, noting that protests on public roadways, highways, and bridges are not the way to resolve differences with the government. The protest quickly became extremist, galvanizing far right groups internationally. Joining the Canadian flags on the streets in Ottawa were confederate flags and flags with swastikas. Trucker horns blared all night long, keeping Ottawans awake. On February 4, GoFundMe removed the donation page for the Freedom Convoy 2022. This has not stopped supporters of the movement who are planning similar protests in the EU and the USA. Freedom Convoy 2022 is not ultimately about vaccines (80% of Canadian truckers and the Canadian population are vaccinated). It is not about freedom. Attempting to bring the government to its knees while trampling on the rights of fellow citizens does not advance the cause of personal freedom. And urging readers of the article to like Turning Point USA, a far right college student organization, on Facebook is a political statement and a violation of sound journalistic practices.
Margay Blackman
Brockport Mayor
Professor Emerita
SUNY Brockport
