Convoy to protest vaccine and COVID mandates headed for Quebec City

With the ongoing truck protest in Ottawa denouncing COVID-19 related mandates and restrictions, a similar demonstration is being planned in Quebec this weekend.

Truckers and supporters are en route to the national assembly. Organizers say they want it to be a siege of Quebec City, leaving nearby residents and business owners on edge.

“We’re not sure, are the truckers going to be there simply to have their point listened to and meet with the public and have that discussion? Or are they there to disrupt and make sure that nobody can do business?” Steven Wong, chef and owner of Wong restaurant told CityNews.

“Normally truckers are peaceful, so I don’t think it’s going to be that bad,” said Benoit Therrien, Truck Stop Quebec. “But sometimes there’s groups going to this protest and they do bad things or they break everything.”

Quebec Premier François Legault saying Thursday, that mayhem of any kind would not be tolerated at the demonstration, which is inspired by the ongoing protest at Parliament Hill that some Ottawa city councillors have deemed an “occupation.”

“I have no problem seeing people in the street saying whatever they want, but I want to see normal life being possible,” Legault told reporters on Thursday in Sherbrooke, Que. “That includes having children go to the Carnaval de Quebec.”

“Yes they can pass a message, but we will not accept that they interfere in the normal life of citizens,” Legault added on Friday morning from Mirabel, Que.

Quebec City police say their presence will be increased and are staying in contact with the organizers in hopes to collaborate with them to make sure the peace is kept. Emphasizing vandalism or violence won’t be tolerated.

“Given the volatile context of what’s going on in Ottawa, I am very concerned,” Carlos Godoy a Quebec City resident explained. “I’m concerned about violence. I’m concerned about the destruction of public and private property. I’m concerned with the jamming of the narrow streets of Old Quebec.”

Two of the convoy’s organizers “Rambo” Gauthier and Kevin Grenier from Sept-Îles were travelling to Quebec City Thursday morning from the Baie Comeau area – 420 kilometres northeast of the capital – posted to Facebook saying their goal isn’t to ‘jam up’ the city. “It’s to go to Quebec and be heard.”

“We’re doing this for the next generation – our kids – but also for ourselves,” Gauthier said in the post. “I’m tired of not being able to see my friends, go out for a beer with my friends, go out to the restaurant with my girlfriend – a normal life. It’s been two years we’ve been like this.”

Their supporters are leaving from other places like Côte-Nord, Saguenay, and the Beauce.

“I hope the message, the first message Mr. Gauthier sends to protesters, ‘is to keep that peacefully’,” said Therrien.

“While you gather make it so that it’s respectful, for everybody and for all the restaurant and hotel owners who have been very afflicted by the pandemic,” added Blaise Fortier, co-owner Louise Taverne & Bar à Vin.

This weekend is Quebec’s Winter Carnival and the first festival since Quebec reopened dining rooms.

The owner of Wong restaurant in Old Quebec says the convoy is putting a damper on what’s usually a busy time.

“We’re already getting cancellations. Cancellations at a half capacity dining room. It’s unthinkable,” said Wong.

The size of the convoy and the duration of the protest is still unknown, more convoys are expected to arrive in Quebec City from other parts of the province for the hastily organized event, while others were planning to go to Ottawa in support of the demonstrators who have been in that city for almost one week.

By midday Thursday, a handful of people were already at the protest site near the Quebec legislature. Police were also present and municipal trucks were parked around the legislature, blocking off access to cars.

The city said in a news release on Thursday that officials are monitoring the situation and asking residents to get around using public transit. It said public libraries would remain open in the area and that city officials and police would work together to maintain public access to businesses.

Quebec City Mayor Bruno Marchand says the protesters who arrived Thursday were respectful, and he called on them to remain that way.

According to the group organizing the convey, a convoy of trucks from the Côte-Nord region said their protest would begin at 5 p.m., on Friday.

Quebec opposition parties on Thursday wanted to know what the government planned to do about the demonstration.

“A peaceful demonstration is acceptable,” Liberal Leader Dominique Anglade said. “Having people jamming the city of Quebec for weeks is not acceptable.”

The premier added Friday, none of the sitting members of the legislature have agreed to meet protesters.

Quebec solidaire’s Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois said the organizers of the protest were the same people who had planned previous demonstrations against mask mandates and COVID-19 vaccines to exploit the fatigue and anger of people fed up with the pandemic.

“Protesting against public health measures, asking all of them to be cancelled, this is an indirect attack to the most vulnerable people in our society,” Nadeau-Dubois said. “And that goes against what we stand for in our heart.”

Meanwhile, Quebec reported 42 more deaths attributed to the novel coronavirus on Thursday. The Health Department said there were 2,637 people in hospital with COVID-19, a drop of 93 compared to the previous day. Of those in hospital, 191 patients were listed in intensive care, a decline of 13 patients.

-With files from the Canadian Press