'You can't mandate any more out of us': Kelowna protesters back truckers

Saturday ‘freedom’ protests against COVID vaccine and mask mandates are nothing new in Kelowna, but the latest one carried a far more political tone than most.

The day after the two year anniversary of the first reported case in B.C., and on the day that truckers and others gathered in Ottawa to protest the cross-border vaccine mandate, many in the crowd in Kelowna came out to show solidarity.

The convoy across the country the last week has galvanized a very vocal sector of Canadian society.

“We jumped on the coat tails of the truckers," one protester, Tony, told Kelowna10. “What really drove the nail in the coffin here was when our prime minister attacked the people of Canada,” he said.

Earlier in the week, Trudeau characterized the trucker convoy as featuring a ‘fringe minority’ with ‘unacceptable views.’

The convoy has gathered support from activists beyond demonstrating truckers. Far-right groups including those with extremist views attached themselves to the protest.

The major fundraising effort behind the convoy is organized by a member of the western separatist Maverick Party and she was keen to distance the efforts from extremism by calling on supporters to report any aggressive or violent behavior or comments.

Meanwhile, trucking associations of Canada and B.C. have not supported the convoy, citing the vast majority of drivers who are vaccinated and highlighting the danger to safety on the roads the convoy posed.

But for Tony in Kelowna, along with fellow protesters, the time for mandates is over.

“We will be responsible to keep our friends and family safe [from COVID] 100 per cent, but you can’t mandate that anymore,” he said, noting he’d been double -vaccinated, wears masks, and social distances.

“We… and the world… have given two years of our lives to this thing. For some people, the virus is very serious, but they should take the personal responsibility to protect themselves. We’re done. You can’t mandate any more out of us.”

He added it was wrong for the people standing up against the mandate to be villainized by others.

“We are not villains, we are just working people trying to live a life” he said.

Another protester, who chose not to give his name, said it was his first time joining the voices on the street.

“We’re out here for freedom… trying to get our freedom back," he said. "We're all about inclusivity, we're not excluding anyone."

B.C.’s top doctor Bonnie Henry said on Friday it appeared the peak of the Omicron variant had been reached but hospitalizations remain high, with 990 COVID-positive people in care. She re-iterated getting vaccinated, wearing a mask, and keeping gatherings small remained key to stopping the spread of the virus, especially to the elderly. Henry said it was possible some restrictions could be eased by Family Day, Feb.21.

The B.C. COVID vaccine card - or passport- which gives people access to social venues such as sports arenas, and restaurants will remain in effect until at least the end of June.

On Thursday the Central Okanagan School District joined several others around the province in voting to impose a vaccine mandate on all staff, although details have yet to be ironed out.