The trucker’s convoy that’s taken the nation by storm made a pit stop at Nairn Centre where hundreds have gathered in support of the movement. Despite temperatures dropping to around -20 degrees earlier today, the ralliers cheered, sang and shouted to the top of their lungs.
From signs of peace and love to signs that were against the vaccine mandate, the energy was high at the Jeremy's truck stop parking lot. A lot of the people there were passionate and like minded people.
“I pray that there remains peace in Ottawa. I pray that the leaders of our country that are the ones who can make the change have an open heart and open ears and hear what the convoy has to say,” Linda Allsop told Sudbury.com in an interview. Allsop, alongside hundreds of others were participating in the support of the truckers at Nairn Centre.
“This isn’t violent. It’s not a terrorist attack as some people are putting out there. This is very much for peace and unity.”
From B.C. to Sudbury, the group of truckers and supporters travelled cross country for the past six days. While it is difficult to gauge the length of the convoy, Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) in the Northwest estimated it stretched around 17 km long – with just over 100 rigs and more than twice that many small vehicles.
Dozens of trucks stopped at Nairn Centre to gather supplies and gas where they were greeted by the supporters with food, water and windshield wiper fluid. In total, perhaps more than a thousand gathered at the truck stop, along the highway and on highway overpasses along Hwy 17 to show support for the convoy.
Some of the supporters were seen holding posters critical of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Just a couple days prior to today's events, Trudeau issued a statement characterizing the organizers of the convoy as a small group of fringe activists who do not reflect the values of Canadians.
One of the organizers of the Ontario leg of the convoy is Sudbury man, Jason LaFace. LaFace was recently quoted by KitchenerToday comparing mask mandates to living in Nazi Germany.
“When you see people come together from different parts of the nation, and you’re looking and you’re like, ‘Wow man. We’re doing this, we’re uniting people,” LaFace said.
The final destination of the convoy is the nation's capital, Ottawa, for a mass demonstration on Saturday.
