Hughes describes life as an MP in Ottawa, surrounded by convoy of truckers

As tensions mount in Ottawa over the presence of truckers gathered in the nation’s capital to protest the federal government’s vaccination mandate for cross-border truckers, Algoma-Manitoulin-Kapuskasing MP Carol Hughes shared her views with SooToday on the protest and what it’s like to be an MP in the centre of it all.

“I believe in the freedom of expression and association, including the right to a peaceful protest. Those are fundamental rights that apply to everyone whether we agree with their cause or not,” said Hughes, a New Democrat MP, speaking from Ottawa Friday.

“I think that the convoy has a right to protest but the protest has now turned into an occupation. It’s not a peaceful protest. It is in certain instances, but in a lot of other instances, it’s not.”

Though the presence of truckers and their supporters in Ottawa hasn’t led to widespread violence, Hughes said it is “concerning” that war memorials and monuments have been desecrated along with the appearance of some Confederate and Nazi flags.

“This is not a protest that I would go out and support because of different factions within that protest.”

“There are truck horns running until 12 or one o’clock in the morning and then starting up again early in the morning and that’s very problematic for people. These are people who live in the area. I happen to live in a condo right downtown. That’s very difficult on people’s hearing. There’s the diesel smell. They were taking a drum out and playing until two o'clock in the morning in the middle of the street, and last night there were fireworks, in between condos and office buildings right downtown.”

“These things are unacceptable,” Hughes said.

“There’s lots going on. I can see why so many people are upset as I was last night when I heard those fireworks. It brought me back to when there was shooting at Parliament Hill…while I'm in Ottawa I walk to work from my condo and it hasn’t been too bad but I certainly have been harassed just like other people have. I’m not putting everybody in the same boat but I am concerned by some of the different factions that are part of this protest.”

Though upset over such developments, Hughes said "the past two years have been very trying for everybody. It’s been difficult and I certainly hear people’s frustrations.”

“82 per cent of Canadians are now fully vaccinated and we saw the businesses reopening but we’ve been saying all along that people cannot continue to live not knowing what tomorrow will bring when it comes to restrictions. They can’t just keep opening and closing businesses.”

“I do believe people should choose if they want to be vaccinated or not…(but) we recognize vaccination is making a difference. I know there are some truckers who are vaccinated, there are some that are not vaccinated, but at the end of the day the government should’ve done a better job at communicating and responding to the concerns of those who question vaccination.”

The presence of the truckers and their supporters in Ottawa stems from thousands of truckers - dubbed ‘the Freedom Convoy 2022’ - beginning their cross-country trek in BC Jan. 23 to protest the federal government’s vaccine mandate for cross-border truckers, planning to voice their displeasure with the mandate by meeting up and gathering in Ottawa.

As reported earlier, the convoy was met by a group of supporters as it rumbled through the Sault Jan. 27.

Latest national media reports show leaders of the truckers protest vow to stay in downtown Ottawa until the feds lift all vaccine and mask requirements on truckers.

Traffic has been affected in Ottawa, with some detours and road closures involved.

Police have handed out fines, with Ottawa’s police chief warning there are more charges coming.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has said he has no plans to call out the military.   

The Canadian Trucking Alliance, for its part, has stated it is not associated with the protest, saying most of its members are fully vaccinated.