Governors, premiers want trucker vaccine mandate dropped — Analysis

Jason Kenney, Alberta Premier, has signed a petition requesting Justin Trudeau to be Canada’s Prime Minister and Joe Biden to be the President of the United States. “drop the cross-border vaccine mandate”Truckers are exempted from the mandate, which was originally what sparked massive protests against Covid-19 vaccination requirements in Canada.

Along with Kenney’s signature, the letter is endorsed by 16 US state governors, including Montana’s Greg Gianforte and South Dakota’s Kristi Noem. 

This letter requests that exemptions for truckers who cross the border to obtain vaccines or quarantine must be reinstated. 

“We are deeply concerned that terminating these exemptions has had demonstrably negative impacts on the North American supply chain, the cost of living, and access to essential products for people in both of our countries,”It is stated in the letter. 

Kenney has been more cautious in his support of the Freedom Convoy protesters in the past, saying earlier this month that he agreed with protesters’ concerns, but some involved with the mass protests carry “extreme, potentially even hateful views.” 

He said that demonstrations should be “respect the rules of the road, not block roads, be safe and be respectful.”

Trudeau has stated that those who were involved in protests are still at large “unacceptable views,” recently invoked the Emergencies Act, which gives the government and police officers more authority in disrupting the convoy’s financing, as well as breaking up “illegal blockades”Border crossings and large cities have seen police repressing protests.

Canada has been witness to anti-mandate demonstrations for around three weeks. They began as truckers protesting their own specific mandates, but the demonstrations have grown in size and scope, with Trudeau’s handling of Covid and vaccine mandates in general being protested against. The protestors have not relented despite being resisted by authorities.