Do I support the Freedom Convoy?

Avatar photo

“Dave, do you support the Freedom Convoy 2022?”

This question has been posed to me so many times lately, but most notably from my longtime friend Ken Carpenter.

My answer continues to be the same. I fully support peaceful protests – with a major caveat.

Where have you been for the last 20 years?

I got into writing because I was tired of hearing the same issues being raised decade after decade. The straw that broke the camel’s back for me was the Blue Ribbon Task Force produced by the high-powered muckety-mucks in trucking.

It highlighted the same issues I’ve heard ever since 1988 when I got my licence. Today’s Trucking gave me the assignment to write about 25 things that are better in trucking today than 25 years ago. It was for the 25th anniversary of the magazine and it remains one of my favorite articles. Why?

Because with all of the negativity in the industry, it seemed like a daunting task to highlight 25 good things. Once I got started, there were more than 40, some of which overlap, but it was far easier than I expected. You can still find this article in the archives if you’re interested.

RESPECT word written on wood block ta wooden background.
(iStock)

We have been good at publicly pointing out the problems in our industry. We’ve not been very good at promoting the good.

What does any of this have to do with the convoy?

The vax mandate is the straw that has broken the camel’s back in trucking. It is the latest in a long line of problems. Disrespect. Horrible pay. Unsanitary facilities for drivers. Safety. Lack of proper training. Retention. I can go on.

What have we done about these issues? Ken and I, and many others like Dan Dickey from B.C., have been pleading with drivers to stand up and speak out for years! Begging! If you’re being disrespected, speak up! When something isn’t right, speak up! What’s happened? Crickets, by and large. The number of drivers who have taken advice is pretty small. “They’re too big to fight.” “I’ll lose my job.” “I’m loyal.”  “I’m just a dumb trucker, what do I know?”

We have asked employers to shape up. I have been in seminars and webinars promoting the value of a mental health strategies and respect for drivers. Middle managers have been receptive, but it’s very hard to make a difference if the CEO isn’t on board.

Trucking associations play an important part but they need to stop being a parrot for large corporations or the government. There’s lots of talk in Ontario over the washrooms and facilities for drivers, but I haven’t noticed any improvement. Service areas and truck stops still don’t cater to truck drivers.

I asked a trucking company owner once to give me the work I was hired to do. I was in a select part of the fleet that pulled long combination vehicles (LCVs) and there was a lot of favoritism on display in dispatching loads.

I was only on LCVs for 45% of my miles and all I wanted was to get to 55%. Others were way above 50%. Some were, like me, frustrated. I had been offered a chance to go up to the ice roads for a couple months. The money was enticing but I wanted to stay where I was if I could be promised a little more parity. His response? “Have a nice time on the ice. I’ll see you in a couple months.”

That hurt. As a writer, I always made sure to present myself and that company in a good light, knowing that I’m in a spotlight. That owner assumed that I was just another pushover. Just a driver. I never went back there.

Speaking up isn’t always profitable. You will catch some heat. You may lose a job. But the people behind you, those who look to you for support, to do the right thing? They’ll be empowered to stand their ground.

So, you want to convoy? Go ahead, but please don’t let it end there. Keep using your voice in a reasonable, respectful manner every day.

We’ve been standing up for our rights for decades. Glad to have you along! 

Avatar photo

David Henry is a longhaul driver, Bell Let's Talk representative and creator/cohost of the Crazy Canuck Truckin podcast. His passion is mental health and presenting a better image for trucking to the public.


Have your say


This is a moderated forum. Comments will no longer be published unless they are accompanied by a first and last name and a verifiable email address. (Today's Trucking will not publish or share the email address.) Profane language and content deemed to be libelous, racist, or threatening in nature will not be published under any circumstances.

*

  • Convoy? Yes I hope truckers don’t let it end there. I hope they are in for the long haul (no pun intended) to fight this current insanity of over reach by government. I don’t believe the truckers are only there due to the mandate. That is just as you say “the straw that broke the camel’s back”. I believe it started out that way but has become far more! I believe the truckers are standing up for Canadians!! For our Freedom and Rights to choose.
    Canadians have poured out there support to the Truckers in the convoy. They have much respect from the public. I hope they hang in and stay the course even if it gets tough for ALL Canadians due to no groceries or product in the stores. I for one will suck it up. The donations speak volumes as well. This is not a Convoy for Vaxing mandates it is a Convoy for Freedom!
    As a side perk, it had gained the individual trucker great respect by us regular folk. We Support Them!

    To Mr/Ms Trucker….You are the most important person in our country right now. I pray we all have your back. If people start to complain, I hope you know they are the minority. We Thank you for your efforts to fight for our Freedoms and Right to choose.

  • This is about choice and the gov using their unlimited power against working people
    Also I and others have stood up when owed wages often by large ( well managed companies)
    Low pay with many unpaid hours no overtime is making many leave once e logs came in.. this protest is about choice and vaccines. The one in Colorado was about a driver. If we do not fix the problems. The large trucking companies will just bring in more low wage drivers. Ont has a very bad name in the treatment of foreign workers.

  • This convoy of freedom started out as a protest against vaccination mandate for truckers, but I for one after reviewing lots of video interviews believe that it’s not so much about mandatory vaccinations but a protest against the individual namely Justin Trudeau who insists on the mandate. He has lost credibility with Canadian people, right from the beginning of the pandemic. Being the most locked down country
    his scandals lieing corruption comments about people who are not vaccinated is coming home to haunt him.
    Canadians have had enough.

  • Good opinion piece, but far too late to change my opinion of the OTA/CTA and its cheerleader…TruckNews.
    Menzies editorial cemented in my mind what this trade paper is worth.
    But then again, neither surprised me.

  • My Late Father drove a Truck. They are indeed the lifeblood of a nation and the operators of those fantastic machines should be respected. Truckers lead a solitary life in their cabs working to bring us the things we need. It is sad to hear that “Blackface Guy” – what his name – Justin something, blast diatribes on his taxpayer supported MSM news channels. My message to him is get up to date with the science and open up the country and apologise for the constitutional crisis that he has brought before the great Nation of Canada.

  • David, you never said whether you support a large group of unvaccinated people crossing the country, insisting that their individual rights are being abused. This convoy has the makings of a superspreader event. It’s a shame that no-one at Truck News/Today’s Trucking is saying that the nearly 90% of Canadians who are vaccinated are mightily pissed off at this show of selfishness. If truckers wanted to trash their reputations they could not have chosen a more perfect way to do it. Stop blaming others for your bad choices. You’ve had at least 10 months to get vaccinated. Get your shots and start behaving like responsible Canadian citizens. You have only yourselves to blame if no-one wants you to work for them.

    • Have you asked how many are unvaccinated in the convoy? There are many who are fully vaxxed in the convoy.
      Superspreader event? Get real.
      10 months? Again, poor facts. Try 2+ months. Plus for part of a day it was reversed and drivers crossed the border in good faith.
      Lastly, try reading the article. I’m not in the convoy. I support the idea of peaceful protests, but I’m not participating. I do my advocating, and have done so for decades by talking to CEO’s, Associations, Drivers, etc.
      Guess what? I’m fully vaccinated and I currently have covid even after following ALL protocols.
      But you keep on with your fear and hate.

    • I have talked to over 50 people in the protest only 4 have not got a vaccine shot
      It is about choice and the gov using their unlimited power against working people. A lot of truck drivers and other essential workers including myself support the truck drivers protest. The gov and the industry needs to look at why so many farmers ( greenhouses) are sure that the gov and large trucking companies need to work with drivers. My and other volunteers phones have not stopped ringing with offers of support from drivers and vets that are still working. I tell them to keep working at this point in time. If needed we can easily get another 5,000 to 10,000 more truck drivers and school bus drivers in ont. Most of these people are ready to quit the industry.

    • Thanks David I agree let’s work together and overcome this pandemic with all the tools available and to quit blaming our priminister and politicians for the pandemic

  • retired long haul trucker… I support the freedom trucker convoy 100%… people do not appreciate this tiresome job with all the difficulties of driving regulations… tough job to make a buck… isolated life and hard on families… go get em boys!

    • Les we live in a free country we can decide how to earn a living any way we want but I don’t believe we have a right to hold the nation hostage to get what we want if you don’t like trucking go do something else it’s a free choice but don’t cry and stomp your feet because your not happy with your career choice go get a job your happy with

  • You part of a community or not? You help your neighbours and community or not?
    If you cross USA border, how will you come back?
    I believe the truck drivers are the most respected individuals on the road. Most vehicles will, or should , provide the right-of way to them. Hard to maintain respect for them when they act in such childish manners.
    Hopefully, tiis limited to the 1% idiots. Remember we are Canadians not Americans. Please act accordingly.

  • Real truckers are out working, providing for their family.

    These are farmers who spend all day on Twitter, hating the world.

    They’re toxic and not helping anyones cause.

    If you respect your neighbour, and care about those around you, including yourself, you’ll believe in modern medicine and get the shot. And not end-up like Meatloaf.

    These people give real truckers a bad name.

  • The best part of trucking in1988 was here’s a load be there at 7:00 am on this day call me when your empty.
    You were left to preform your magic no need to micro-manage your drivers get out of there way and they will call if something goes wrong. Fun job better money than now.

    • That’s the truth meslippery !!
      Exactly why truckers why to be truckers. Give me a load, call you when I’m empty or need help.
      Keep it simple, not stupid

      • Meslipppery and Ken love you guy’s it’s pretty simple give me a load let me enjoy my career call you when I need another one

  • My 70 year old husband retired after 45 years of trucking. He was double vaxed, caught covid, and suffered terribly. He survived because he was vaccinated. Absolutely no support for these convoy truckers at all. Get vaccinated and do your part in protecting others. A big thank you to the truckers who are vaccinated and continue to do their jobs.

    • Even after we were told the vaccine was the answer he still got covid. Along with several of my family i am not vaxed and not caught it and i dare to say yet but when they get it shortly after being vaxed i question it

  • We have a free and democratic society because most rational citizens understand that having rules, laws and mandates may sometimes be required for the greater good.

  • Yes 100%!!
    Thank you to all the truckers (and everyone else) who is standing up for what is right! Let’s all come together and get rid of this awful division! Spread love not hate.

  • Dave; I don’t know where to start !!
    So much of this whole article has merit beyond belief that someone actually said everything I want to say, have been saying, and still can say, with more drama cause of the convoy!!

    1st off, I’ve been a driver for 30 plus years, like most drivers, with a few different companies and my hands of different types of work. My longest was with Canada Cartage for just over 12 years.
    Sure lots of growing pains with them. In that time they grew, changed, grew some more. More people more drama.
    I enjoyed my contract who I represented CCS on behalf of the company, had a great commodity with the customer & their customers! I did well even away from my responsibility once a year as I represented CCS at TRTDC & OTDC from 2012 to 2019.
    But 2020 came along, all of our lives changed with Covid19. Plus we had a change in middle management that January as well, add phone apps for us drivers to learn how to use, then ELD’S , Pre Trip app, and then self screening covid apps. It become redundant. Every week it seem the rules changed, an app not working, customers program apps malfunctions. You get my point.
    I had a huge intrest with them in expanding my career and giving back to the younger guys coming on board, as I become a driver trainer years before and really enjoyed seeing a driver succeed and watch them grow. But the company had no intrest in it, or I wasn’t the right fit to work with the click.
    Hardest decision I ever made was leaving after 12 plus years, as it wasn’t the job, wasn’t the demand, wasn’t the customers, it was respect, looked down upon as “just a driver” from middle management and an HR team that had no ambition to retain good drivers.

    This convoy we have all been glued to this week, and weekend have brought Canadains together, but slowly a divide too. Anybody who is a trucker or a truckers spouse, child, father, brother ,sister is all for the truckers and what they believe in, our freedoms.
    Everybody else, and believe in the red liberals trust JT to know best.

    My opinion and beliefs don’t matter to an audience, only me. But all of our freedoms should matter to everyone, how ever you feel it don’t break your God given right to be Canadain!

    I quoted on a social page just today after seeing the out pouring of love & support for truckers and one another. My quote was ” JUST 2 WEEKS AGO WE WERE ARE STRANGERS IN A DARK PLACE, BUT TODAY WE ALL HAVE BECOME FAMILY & FRIENDS”

    I’ve spent hours reading post, liking this loving that, sharing well wishes and showing support from my chair at home to a kid named Jackson that could only talk with his laptop and wanted to hear the truck air horns. Man… I become more then a trucker these few days, I become love & hope, not just for Jackson, but for a Nation that’s mentally hurting to its core, I’m just lucky enough to be a trucker!! No matter who’s name on the door, God what a feeling!

    Thanks for reading my story. Knowing you would understand the best, especially after reading your article!!

  • Protesting working conditions and pay is one thing, but this protest against vaccine mandates is just stupid. The mandate is in place to protect everyone by getting this pandemic under control. My daughter is a director of emergency management in a large health region and she has just had to have two temporary morgues brought into place at a major hospital. Covid is real, it is dangerous, and it must be stopped. Getting vaccinated is the quickest and surest method to protect yourself, your family, and every other person in society. This protest is doubly stupid because the Americans have the same mandate in place to even if Canada dropped the mandate, an unvaccinated driver would still not be able to cross the border.

    • That’s the great thing about Canada, we have the right as of now to voice our opinions, but not the right to choose what we put in our own bodies.
      You think about it, everyone has a choice, not forced other wide you loose your freedoms & movement.

      As far as the US, 70,000 at a football game, do you think their care?
      We have no right or say to how another country wants their laws to be, we just have to accept them, or not go, which for me personally is fine.
      And I am 3 jabs & a Trucker

    • Stupid or not we all should have a choice, especially knowing that vaccine is NOT beneficial as they are saying. Also we are trying to be better than other countries, Iraq, Libya, Afghanistan etc.

  • I do understand we are all tired of the rules and restrictions, but get over it. Those rules and restrictions saved countless lives. Saved my life and that of everyone I know and yes we all have 3 shots. Everyday I look at the number of deaths 40, 50 100 when will peolpe smarten up and understan these rules, restriction, the shots, everthing we have gone through could be wasted becouse one small group cant respect the majority and think they deserve to be special. Everybody has suffered in one way or another. Its time to go home and let the rest of us get back to the little we have of our lives wile we wait for this to get better. Im hoping people have enough respect for there lives as well as the people around them to do the right thing. Get a shot and be safe before you bring something home to someone you love and things go bad.

    • You’re right about respecting each other Ted. But you need to realize that some people have completely different experience with shots, misscarrage, deaths etc. So why not to respect there opinion. Out of 6 people I know they got COVID, 5 of them are fully vaccinated. They felt safe after all their shots and didn’t take precautions. On top of that they kept walking around and spreading the virus onto the others since they were allowed to go anywhere. I would call that ignorance and disrespect. Also majority of vaccinated drivers got vaccines in order not to lose job and not because they thought it’s good for them. I wouldn’t call that free will.

  • Mr. Spence, Very clever demonstration of “verbal gymnastics!” Do you support forced vaxx mandates? Clearly, YOU DO! God has a very descriptive name for you and all pro-vaxxers! See Holy Bible, New testament, Book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ 13:4&8(KJV). See also Book of Hebrews 12:8. I call your kind SWB. Figure it out! It’s not rocket science! God’s Description also includes EVERY PERSON who tries to cover those people. Satan “was a murderer from the beginning!” John 8:44.
    “He was a murderer from the beginning, and has not stood in the truth, because there is no truth in him. Whenever he might speak falsehood, he speaks from the own; for he is a liar, and the father of it.”

  • Frankly I’m tired of Global news some premiers and anti convoy support grabbing the limelight these are the one’s desecrating the tomb of the unknown soldier not truckers
    That’s not what this is about it’s about covid and the new mandate pushed on truckers by Trudeau why wasn’t it implemented at the beginning 2 YEARS AGO
    All they wanted from the beginning was for Trudeau to talk not fake covid and run away like a coward that’s what the truckers still want and no masks or jab

  • Funnily enough, your comment rules condemn the very thing this “Peaceful Protest” is supporting; The profane language and racism we were subjected to in Uptown Waterloo yesterday was sufficient to make me nervous in the very city I’ve called home my entire life. For the first time in my life, I’ve witnessed what horrible things people can say and do in their hatred of others. I have lost all respect for anybody that could possibly support such heinous behaviour.

  • I fully support the freedom convoy, this country suppose to represent freedom of all ethnic people, lately since liberal government got in power everything changed, lots of demands have been opposed on to people, lots of unnecessary rules and restrictions that don’t make any sense, I came 30 years ago to this country with a knowledge that this part of the world is free of communism and dictation. Makes me rethink to go back where I came from when I retire because of all the situations that have been happening with government and their demands opossed. It is sad for that to be happening, because this country has so much potential, this country can survive with no body’s help, this country has so many resources and so much beauty with in it self.

  • I agree with you, my late husband ran long haul right until he was diagnosed with Colon Cancer that metalized to his lungs. He was always standing up trying to make a difference. So thank you I support the right for freedom. I have been wondering when we became a communist country.

    • Read what a Communist Country is before you make such a FOOLISH statement… this is a Countrt of the FREE… and don’t you forget what it takes to keep it FREE!!

  • Stay strong everyone,Trudeau has to go he does not care about Canadians, his main goal is to do what daddy try to do destroy canada ,freedom

  • Well said, my husband is a mechanic for truck and trailers, I’ve learned through him to respect truck drivers and what they constantly go through. It’s wonderful that you’ve created this forum for all of you.
    I support the convoy and what they represent totally, if I didn’t have 2 special needs kiddies to care for I’d be there cheering along!

  • I quit my great job working in a hospital to go with my husband on the road because he was having stess issues due to the demands of his trucking job. I gave up my pensions, my top of the seniority list there with 6 weeks holidays and great hours of 8 days a week during weekdays because I didn’t want him coming home to me in a pine box. Truck driving was all he ever wanted to do. And he was VERY good at it. To date he has been a trucker for over 50 years and has NEVER had an accident. He has hauled everything you could possibly name in all those years.

    I was able to manage the rigourous demands of 24/7/365, of constantly being at someone’s beck and call, sleep deprivation, poor personal care conditions over the road, being ragged at by everyone in the performance of the job because everything is always the trucker’s fault when someone is being inconvenienced, for about 2 years. When we quite team driving, my husband went to work for a local farmer where he had long regular hours and got paid regular wages, was home evey night, and both he and the farmer thought they’d died and gone to heaven for such a great employment arrangement.

    Before trucking with him I’d had an office job where people had to knock on my door to speak to me. I knew what real respect looked like. It wasn’t blowing up at people and resorting to 4 letter words. It was calmly stating your position and standing your ground. But working my brief stint in trucking taught me that those who survive the trucking jobs as long as my husband has are the bravest most resolute human beings in our country. We ought to value them much more. At least enough to hear what they have to say.

  • Take your shot,put on your mask,shut up and we will all get thru this.Nobody likes it but it is the only way to get out,mandate the vacine same polio shot so there is no blocking roads like a bunch of rioters,because that is next,too many Americans and American money involved in this so called protest,and we all seen Jan 6 how they like to protest

  • I do not support this protest. It’s time the proper measures were raked to put an end to all blockades and free Ottawa.

  • I support any one and industry fighting for freedom!
    These people are showing to be law abiding hard working citizens standing up for what is right

    100% support

  • Hey David……

    A simple yes or no would have been sufficient instead of caveats….. I see a great career in politics for you, Windbag

  • Absolutely support peaceful demonstrations.
    This is the only way to affect change until you have the ability to vote.
    I fully agree with everyone’s right to vaccinations but only with consent. Body autonomy no different than it’s written in the Nuremberg code.
    Even though that code may be considered outdated the principles remain steadfast today.
    Without adhering to that code we are no different than a dictatorship/Nazi regime/Socialist Communist society.
    Demonstrations bring awareness.

  • Yes I agree with the 2022 trucking convoy for freedom. It’s about time that we as Canadians take back our freedoms that have been lost by a corrupt government.

  • I support the truckers all the way. I hope they’re in it for the long haul. This has been a long time coming. It very sad that Trudeau will not come face to face with them. Everyone in Canada knows things have got to change for the better. Go for it truckers and good luck in every way. You people are our heroes.

  • Freedom Convoy is a symbol of ignorance and selfishness and racism.

    Why?

    – Their antivac actions do reveal that they don’t care about others’ live and livelyhoods. There has been over a million people died from the covid in the North America in the last two years.
    – They go against the public health measures. This is only extremists or extremely ignorance people would do this. They care not about doctors and nurses who have dedicated their lives to safe this covid payions.
    – The group has composed of Nazi group and yellow vest group. These groups do not represent freedom. They are humanity killing machines.
    – Their slogans seek power and attention rather that seeking freedom for all mankind

  • Protest legally have at it. Block the roads get a criminal record then you will not be able to cross the border vaccinated or not