A trucker convoy wheels in front of Trukkers restaurant in Medicine Hat ( Derek Brade/CHATNewsToday)

By Tiffany Goodwein

Trucker freedom convoy rolls through Medicine Hat

Jan 24, 2022 | 5:54 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – A long string of trucks wheeled their way along the Trans Canada Highway on Monday afternoon. The trucks, all en route to Ottawa, to take a stand on recently imposed mandates, and to fight for freedoms.

“They are taking away our freedoms in our country and it is time to put an end to it,” one trucker said.

The federal mandate took effect on Jan. 15 and requires all truck drivers to be fully vaccinated in order to avoid a 14-day quarantine, and testing if they are coming from the U.S.

This comes at a time when there are already driver shortages and impacts to the supply chain.

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Shelly Mclennan will be making the drive in her Jeep from Medicine Hat to Ottawa to show her support.

“First of all I, think they are the backbone of our country, and without the truckers bringing us our food and medical supplies. We will be empty. How will we survive?”

READ MORE: GoFundMe seeks documentation on distribution of Freedom Convoy distribution

Chris Barber has been a truck driver for 28 years, and he said the past two years in the industry have been hell.

“When the pandemic started the restaurants were closed, gas stations were closed we couldn’t even use the bathroom, the bathroom was the great outdoors pretty humiliating, to say the least when you are trying to keep the country afloat, ” he said.

Barber said the border crossing mandates were the last straw for a lot of drivers, and that compounded with the carbon tax, and other stresses of the job have left some drivers turning in their keys.

“The good guys are retiring and getting away from it for the trouble that we are going through, it is time to put a stop to it and get our country back,” he said noting the group is not anti-vaccine but opposed to mandates.

Hatters from all over gathered on the outskirts of the highway to fly Canadian flags and wave as the trucks travelled through. About 180 meals were also prepared for drivers at Trukkers Restaurant.

“This is history, I love it,” said owner Deni Watson.

Even MLA Drew Barnes was on hand to express his support.

“I am so grateful for these truckers standing up strong to enhance our freedoms to send a message, not only to Edmonton and Premier Kenney but especially to Ottawa,” Barnes said, reiterating the importance of truck drivers.

“Here we have our prime minister who has already jeopardized our inflation, cost of living and supply chains further making it worse and I am so glad these people are standing up,” Barnes added.

The country-wide movement which began in B.C. was started by Medicine Hat woman Tamara Lich.

“It just snowballed into this amazing thing and what we are hearing most is Canadians are feeling proud again. Something that we haven’t felt for so long,” she said.

Lich isn’t a truck driver herself, but her parents own a pilot truck business that does cross-border travel often.

A GoFundMe page started by Lich has raised over $3 million. The money will go towards supporting truckers and their journey to the capital. Any remaining funds, Lich said will go towards veterans support groups.

Lich said a formal finance committee has been established to ensure the funds go to the truckers. They are also working with GoFundMe and are in the process of hiring a lawyer.

“There is a lot of moving parts but we have put things in place to ensure that it is managed properly,” she said.