OrilliaMatters reporter Tyler Evans made the journey to Ottawa to report on the protest blockade, inspired by the 'Freedom Convoy,' which is in its third weekend. He reported from the nation's capital throughout the weekend and provides the following reflection after 48 hours in the eye of the storm.
After hearing conflicting reports about the protests inspired by the 'Freedom Convoy' in downtown Ottawa, I decided to make the trip to the nation's capital to see for myself.
My goal was to inform my community in Orillia about exactly what was happening in Ottawa and the impact it is having on Canadians from all walks of life.
The experience was one I will never forget. Seeing the trucks blockading normally bustling Ottawa streets was like seeing something out of a movie.
The protesters themselves were also somewhat surreal. There were people literally camping in the streets, living out of tents with small fire pits, and cooking on portable barbecues.
The atmosphere was mostly festive; there were many people helping others. I witnessed people giving each other cases of water, warm clothing, food, and other supplies to keep protest efforts stoked.
People could be seen hugging others in the streets—strangers —and shaking hands, which felt odd to me because it’s something I haven’t experienced since before the pandemic changed everything in March 2020.
You could also see many people going in and out of the few businesses that remained open in the area without a mask, which felt strange to me because of the 'new normal' we have been living in. It made me feel a bit uncomfortable because I’ve grown so accustomed to always being around people who are respecting the mandates put in place by government officials.
In my 48-plus hours in Ottawa, I did not see anyone waving Confederate flags or spewing messages of hate. However, you could tell the protesters were frustrated even amid the festival-like atmosphere.
I talked to what feels like hundreds of people over the weekend. Most of them seemed like blue-collar kind of folks. Some said they had lost their jobs because of mandates and vaccines. Others recounted how they had lost friendships and relationships with family over their decisions and opinions about vaccinations and mandates.
Also surreal was the police presence—or lack thereof. It was scarce on Friday and there were even fewer officers in the area on Saturday. It seemed like the police were watching from afar and only engaging with protesters if and when issues arose.
On Saturday, there was a booth set up outside a downtown bank trying to sell Canadian flags, hats, and other merchandise. When I went up to the booth, I was surprised to see they were selling such items because everyone else was just giving them out for free. The police responded quickly to this booth and a bylaw officer issued the vendor a ticket. The booth continued to sell merchandise once the police left.
A few OPP officers were set up with their patrol cars at certain intersections, and it seemed like protesters and police officers were mostly respectful of each other. There were other packs of officers who looked to be wearing tactical gear who walked the perimeter of the area in waves.
There seemed to be more media than police and more American mainstream media than Canadian journalists. Fox News was there on both Saturday and Sunday, and I recognized one reporter from CNN on Saturday. I did see reporters from the Associated Press on Saturday, and CBC staff walked by me on Friday near Queen Street, which is where their production centre is located.
Before making the trip to Ottawa I had heard about protesters “desecrating” the Terry Fox monument and other sacred memorials, and had read reports about harassed locals, which was unsettling to hear. I also understand that some of the convoy’s organizers are far-right radicals and white nationalists whose grievances extend way beyond COVID-19 public-health restrictions.
However, I didn’t experience any of that when I was there. I stopped and talked to a military veteran to ask what he thought of the memorials being vandalized and he chalked it up to a few bad, uneducated apples.
One of my first experiences in Ottawa was seeing a protester from Newfoundland catching someone shoplifting in a convenience store. The visiting protester took the shoplifter aside and politely asked him not to steal, and instead suggested he ask for help if he needs it. Then, the protester bought the shoplifter a sandwich and sent him on his way.
During my trip, I also spoke to a fellow Orillian who moved to Ottawa and is working in the downtown core. She explained to me how frustrating the protests are for her and other Ottawa residents. Her commute to work had been doubled, noise pollutes the area at all hours of day and night, and it’s uncomfortable for her to go across the street to Tim Horton’s and stand in a line-up with people refusing to wear a mask.
I have met people who are on both sides and I understand where everyone is coming from, much better than I did before.
Now, I just wonder how this might end. On Friday, I talked to a police officer who told me the atmosphere was slowly changing and he didn’t like it. He said he hopes the end of the protest comes peacefully, which is what most Canadians are hoping for.
Only time will tell.
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Click here to watch a video that encapsulates the vibe in Ottawa this weekend.
Click here to read a story about the protest's impact on Ottawa businesses.
Click here to see a selection of photos from this weekend's protest in the nation's capital.
Click here to read a story about how the weeks-long protest in impacting homeless people in Ottawa.
Click here to read a story about a local girl and her mom who baked cookies and made cards and then brought them to Ottawa in support of the protesters.
Click here to read a story that tries to give Orillia readers a glimpse into what the demonstration is really like through the eyes of Ottawa residents, protesters and others.
