On January 26, I wrote an opinion piece titled “Free the People”. It attracted many mostly negative comments, with several accusing me of being an anti-vaxxer. I appreciate those who took the time to consider what was written and comment on it.
They may disagree with me, which I respect. As for the anti-vaxxer accusation, I would note I have been triple vaxxed and subsequently had what is known as a breakout infection. So, I am vaxxed and a Covid Survivor.
I may not be alone in my views.
On Thursday Jan. 27 on the QEW coming back from my daily dog walk at Bronte Creek Park, I was surprised to see a large crowd of people mainly waving Canadian flags and a few with signs saying things like “Lift the mandates!” on the Third Line overpass, then the Fourth Line overpass, and finally the Trafalgar Road overpass.
I pulled into the almost full Oakville Place parking lot and walked up to the overpass to see what was going on.
It was primarily a young crowd (at least compared to the writer) who were cheering and waving at the cars and trucks going under them.
The cars and truck drivers responded by flashing their lights and honking their horns (a big rig’s air horn is really loud!). It was all very festive and cheerful until I asked what they thought of the various Covid mandates we have been under for the past two years. Then there was some darkness.
I tried to find an organizer. There seemed to be none. I was told they were there because they or friends had read on Facebook that the truck convoy had asked people to support their cause.
It would not pass Oakville on its way to Ottawa. But there they were.
A spontaneous expression of the frustrations we have all felt since March 2020?
Our prime minister has said, “the small fringe minority of people who are on their way to Ottawa, who are holding unacceptable views that they are expressing, do not represent the views of Canadians”.
Maybe not Canadians in Oakville though. This fringe seems to have a lot of support here. But some disagree.
In better news, Jeff Knoll of Film.ca wrote an impassioned open letter Jan. 27 to Doug Ford about the absurdity of the recent edict that the ban on attending a cinema was to be lifted January 31, but that popcorn and drinks would continue to be forbidden, presumably as vectors of plague according to “the science” he has followed since the outset of this pestilence.
On Jan. 28 Mr. Ford reversed his stand. Popcorn is free! (Only metaphorically).
