Protesters arrive on Parliament Hill ahead of main trucker convoy
As the sun set in Ottawa on Friday constant honks from truck horns could still be heard through the downtown core, as hundreds of convoy participants began gathering around Parliament Hill in what’s set to be a “unique, fluid, risky, and significant” protest, according to city officials.
Stretches of local roadways were closed, or reduced to a few lanes as truckers and drivers of other vehicles—some sporting Canadian and other flags— began to cause what could be days of gridlock across Ottawa, with the main protesting set to begin on Saturday morning.
The protesters do not have a permit for their event, officials said Friday, and it was unclear what washroom and other facilities will be accessible to those participating this weekend.
During a briefing on Friday, Ottawa Police Chief Peter Sloly told reporters that local police have called in reinforcements from other cities, and are working with provincial and national agencies including the RCMP to prepare for an event that has garnered attention across the country as well as internationally.
“These demonstrations are national in scope, they're massive in scale. Unfortunately, they are polarizing in nature,” Sloly said, adding that “significantly more” national security and emergency service resources have been called into Ottawa for the weekend.
There are drivers converging from different routes originating from British Columbia, Atlantic Canada and many places in-between, that are all soon set to be landing into Ottawa with plans to spend the weekend protesting the federal government and pandemic restrictions that they feel curb their freedoms.
Gatherers CTV News spoke with voiced a range of grievances they had come to express, with some of those taking part suggesting they’ll stay in town until Prime Minister Justin Trudeau resigns, or the government is removed, neither of which are anticipated outcomes.
Convoys from Western Canada were scheduled to arrive in Arnprior, Ont. late Friday afternoon, before travelling into downtown Ottawa Saturday morning. Big rigs from eastern Canada were anticipated to roll into Vankleek Hill Friday evening, before completing the journey to Ottawa on Saturday morning.
As the convoy picked up steam—raising now more than $7 million through an online fundraiser— concerns were raised based on some of the extremist and hateful messaging being put out by those claiming affiliation to the protest and the potential for the demonstration to turn violent.
Ottawa police have been engaged with CSIS and international agencies to conduct threat assessments and have said that while the “core organizers” have expressed their intent to run a lawful event, they are aware of “other groups and individuals” who have aligned themselves with the convoy and may not “share the same peaceful goals.”
Sloly said that police are prepared to investigate, arrest, charge, and prosecute anyone committing violent acts or participating in unlawful behaviour.
“We have intelligence assets and investigators who will be working throughout the entire event,” he said.
Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos defended the federal government’s vaccine mandates on Friday.
“The convoy of which we should be speaking, is a convoy of everyone being on board, knowing that the enemy is not vaccination, the enemy is COVID-19 and the best tool to fight this enemy is to be vaccinated,” Duclos said.
While Liberals and NDP MPs have voiced concerns about the event turning violent and have cautioned the convoy has become a vehicle for extremist rhetoric and “unacceptable” views, Conservatives have been meeting with and cheering on the truckers.
On Friday, both People’s Party Leader Maxime Bernier and Ontario Party Leader Derek Sloan voiced their support for what Sloan called a “historically crucial” convoy. The political figures have both spoken out in opposition to COVID-19 vaccines and other pandemic public health measures as infringing on personal liberties.
In a press conference, Bernier said he plans to take part in the rallies over the next few days, alongside people who he said want their “lives back.” He also said that despite what some participants might be attempting to do, changes in the country should come democratically, in an election.
Some trucking organizations have made efforts to distance themselves from the convoy entirely, saying the messaging coming from supporters is tarnishing the largely vaccinated industry.
Because of the security risk, MPs and government staff have been advised to avoid the parliamentary precinct this weekend. Ottawa residents are being asked to brace for “significant” disruptions, and already two downtown vaccination clinics have been closed due to the convoy.
Despite some organizers asserting there will be upwards of hundreds of thousands of participants by the time the convoy reaches the capital, Ottawa police have said that they do not have a confirmed number of demonstrators.
With files from CTV News Ottawa
IN DEPTH
Trudeau, key election players to testify at foreign interference hearings. What you need to know
The public hearings portion of the federal inquiry into foreign interference in Canadian elections and democratic institutions are picking back up this week. Here's what you need to know.
'One of the greatest': Former prime minister Brian Mulroney commemorated at state funeral
Prominent Canadians, political leaders, and family members remembered former prime minister and Progressive Conservative titan Brian Mulroney as an ambitious and compassionate nation-builder at his state funeral on Saturday.
Who is supporting, opposing new online harms bill?
Now that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's sweeping online harms legislation is before Parliament, allowing key stakeholders, major platforms, and Canadians with direct personal experience with abuse to dig in and see what's being proposed, reaction is streaming in. CTVNews.ca has rounded up reaction, and here's how Bill C-63 is going over.
As Poilievre sides with Smith on trans restrictions, former Conservative candidate says he's 'playing with fire'
Siding with Alberta Premier Danielle Smith on her proposed restrictions on transgender youth, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre confirmed Wednesday that he is against trans and non-binary minors using puberty blockers.
TREND LINE What Nanos' tracking tells us about Canadians' mood, party preference heading into 2024
Heading into a new year, Canadians aren't feeling overly optimistic about the direction the country is heading, with the number of voters indicating negative views about the federal government's performance at the highest in a decade, national tracking from Nanos Research shows.
Opinion
opinion Don Martin: Poilievre has the field to himself as he races across the country to big crowds
It came to pass on Thursday evening that the confidentially predictable failure of the Official Opposition non-confidence motion went down with 204 Liberal, BQ and NDP nays to 116 Conservative yeas. But forcing Canada into a federal election campaign was never the point.
opinion Don Martin: How a beer break may have doomed the carbon tax hike
When the Liberal government chopped a planned beer excise tax hike to two per cent from 4.5 per cent and froze future increases until after the next election, says political columnist Don Martin, it almost guaranteed a similar carbon tax move in the offing.
opinion Don Martin: Pierre Poilievre's road to apparent victory will soon start to get rougher
Pierre Poilievre and his Conservatives appear to be on cruise control to a rendezvous with the leader's prime ministerial ambition, but in his latest column for CTVNews.ca, Don Martin questions whether the Conservative leader may be peaking too soon.
opinion Don Martin: The Trudeau lessons from Brian Mulroney's legacy start with walking away
Justin Trudeau should pay very close attention to the legacy treatment afforded former prime minister Brian Mulroney, who died on Thursday at age 84, writes columnist Don Martin.
opinion Don Martin: ArriveCan debacle may be even worse than we know from auditor's report
It's been 22 years since a former auditor general blasted the Chretien government after it 'broke just about every rule in the book' in handing out private sector contracts in the sponsorship scandal. In his column for CTVNews.ca, Don Martin says the book has been broken anew with everything that went on behind the scenes of the 'dreaded' ArriveCan app.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
CRA no longer requiring 'bare trust' reporting in 2023 tax return
The Canada Revenue Agency announced Thursday it will not require 'bare trust' reporting from Canadians that it introduced for the 2024 tax season, just four days before the April 2 deadline.
He didn't trust police but sought their help anyway. Two days later, he was dead
Jameek Lowery was among more than 330 Black people who died after police stopped them with tactics that aren’t supposed to be deadly, like physical restraint and use of stun guns, The Associated Press found.
Fluid in eye cells can 'boil' if you watch the eclipse without protection: expert
Millions of people in parts of Eastern and Atlantic Canada will be able to see the rare solar eclipse happening on April 8. But they should only look up if they have proper eye protection, experts say.
NEW More unauthorized products for skin, sexual enhancement, recalled: Here are the recalls of this week
Health Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency recalled various items this week, including torches, beef biltong and unauthorized products related to skin care and sexual enhancement.
Where is the worst place for allergy sufferers in Canada?
The spring allergy season has started early in many parts of Canada, with high levels of pollen in some cities already. Experts weigh in on which areas have it worse so far this season.
Do these exercises for core strength if you can't stomach doing planks
Planks are one of the most effective exercises for strengthening your midsection, as they target all of your major core muscles: the transverse abdominis, rectus abdominis, external obliques and internal obliques. Yet despite the popularity of various 10-minute plank challenges, planking is actually one of the most dreaded core exercises, according to many fitness experts.
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
Angst and calls for resting places as Surrey, B.C., pet cemetery development continues
A single headstone is all that remains of dozens of markers for long-buried pets in a subdivision in Surrey’s Newton neighbourhood, where a half-acre parcel bears a large sign announcing the proposed construction of new homes.
Polar ice is melting and changing Earth's rotation. It's messing with time itself
One day in the next couple of years, everyone in the world will lose a second of their time. Exactly when that will happen is being influenced by humans, according to a new study, as melting polar ice alters the Earth’s rotation and changes time itself.
Local Spotlight
Conservation officers seize 9-foot python from Chilliwack home
B.C. conservation officers recently seized a nine-foot-long Burmese python from a home in Chilliwack.
N.B. man wins $64 million from Lotto 6/49
A New Brunswicker will go to bed Thursday night much richer than he was Wednesday after collecting on a winning lottery ticket he let sit on his bedroom dresser for nearly a year.
Ontario auto-insurance changes could leave some vulnerable, says expert
The Ontario government is introducing changes to auto-insurance, but some experts say the move is ill-advised.
Tipping is off the table at this Toronto restaurant
A Toronto restaurant introduced a surprising new rule that reduced the cost of a meal and raised the salaries of staff.
A tiny critter who could: Elusive Newfoundland Marten makes improbable comeback
Newfoundland’s unique version of the Pine Marten has grown out of its threatened designation.
Ontario man loses $12K to deepfake scam involving Prime Minister Justin Trudeau
A Toronto man is out $12,000 after falling victim to a deepfake cryptocurrency scam that appeared to involve Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
Record-setting pop tab collection for Ontario boy
It started small with a little pop tab collection to simply raise some money for charity and help someone — but it didn’t take long for word to get out that 10-year-old Jace Weber from Mildmay, Ont. was quickly building up a large supply of aluminum pop tabs.
'I was just like, holy cow!': Saskatoon dumpster divers reclaim wasted valuables
There’s a group of people in Saskatoon that proudly call themselves dumpster divers, and they’re turning the city’s trash into treasure.
Ontario to balance budget ahead of 2026 election, citing delay due to 'economic uncertainty'
Ontario is facing a larger than anticipated deficit but the Doug Ford government still plans to balance its books before the next provincial election.