While most are content to call the COVID-19 lockdown 'the new normal,' anti-lockdown protestors, including those from the March for Freedom movement, are starting to say 'enough.'
The Sault's Tabitha McCarl, joined by her parents Walter and Carol McCarl, stood with signs outside the Civic Centre Sunday afternoon.
"We're here because we feel these emergency measures put forth by Ontario and Canada are infringing on a lot of our rights and freedoms," McCarl said, speaking to SooToday.
"We're no longer allowed to gather for religious purposes. If there are more than five people they'll fine you. Same for protests. If there are more than five people, they'll fine you."
McCarl said "I started advertising this on Facebook yesterday and I had a police detective from the Sault Ste. Marie Police Service come to my door this morning to try and deter me from coming here. She said if there are more than five people they will issue fines. She talked about how they haven't issued any fines yet but they are going to start doing that."
The Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act went into effect across Ontario March 28.
As a result, social gatherings of more than five people are under scrutiny.
As reported earlier, police, including Sault Police, are first educating the public regarding the law, then issuing warnings against gatherings of more than five.
If warnings are ignored, a minimum fine of $750 up to a maximum of $100,000 can be imposed for such gatherings and one-year imprisonment.
Regardless, McCarl said March for Freedom events are taking place worldwide, calling on citizens to gather at buildings such as city halls and legislatures to protest government-imposed COVID-19 restrictions.
"People are saying the lockdown needs to end soon or we're not going to have an economy to come back to," McCarl said.
"How far are they going to take this with our rights?"
"We can't go to our cottages, we can't camp on Crown land, we can't have fires, you can't open your business, we can't go to church," McCarl said.
"I can no longer attend church unless it's online. I can't go to any of the recreational facilities and clubs that I participate in, neither can my family."
McCarl said workplace closures have not affected her retired parents, but added, "I have friends in the city who are out of work and who are really struggling because they can't get their businesses open, they're struggling to pay rent, they can't put food on the table."
McCarl and her parents arrived at the Civic Centre shortly after 2 p.m. and planned to stay there until about 5 p.m.
"We've had quite a few honks (from bypassing motorists on Foster Drive, in support). We've had some people stop and talk to us and ask us about it and give their support to us. We've only had one person stop and ask us why we're doing this."
McCarl said police had driven by twice during the afternoon without incident, a third police vehicle driving by while SooToday was present.
March for Freedom protestors plan to gather from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. every Sunday, locally and worldwide.
"Most of them (the gatherings) are pretty small, less than a dozen people. Yesterday though, in Toronto, they had a really nice turnout. We'll see where it goes."
