LETTER – Truckers’ rights have to be balanced with responsibilities
(Image: Facebook)
Your column (No surprise that truckers lost control of the message) on the current protest in Ottawa is much appreciated. However, I have more to add.
Our son lives in downtown Ottawa and has kept us informed about many things. From the moment the trucks arrived Friday, he and his neighbors have constantly been bombarded day and night by the noise of horns.
Diesel smells are covering the area. Protesters are urinating, defecating and leaving garbage everywhere. Residents cannot sleep. They cannot breathe. They cannot get to work. They cannot get groceries, or order takeout or delivery from closed restaurants. They don’t feel safe to even go for a walk. They are trapped, including seniors, children, and the disabled.
What may have started with a “Truckers Protest” hasn’t just been hijacked by fringe groups, it seems to involve people who are not even involved in the cross-border trucking industry, as you can see by the advertising on the sides of many of the vehicles, and hear from the comments of those interviewed on air.
Do I understand the frustration of covid protection measures….of course. What I do not condone is the absolute disregard by these protesters of the “rights” of those they are so negatively impacting by their selfish actions.
Rights have to be balanced by responsibilities or they will be lost. It’s a shame many of these “protesters” never learned that.
PENNY SHARPE
ArmchairMayor.ca 
Do the math! Population of Canada (2020) 38.1million.
Approx.8000 protesters in Ottawa last weekend: .0002%
If Approx. 15000 protesters:: .00039%
All of them heard, although they are far fewer than the number of Canadians who are now dead from covid or are facing further covid related problems!
I sure hope that Go Fund Me is extra careful about who/what the players are in the “Some Veteran’s Group” before they release excess funds, when this is finally over!
That’s what is been missing from day one from all those anti-vaccine folks. Missing the fundamental understanding that “liberties come with responsibilities”. And will say it again, “liberties” is not the same as selfish, disrespectful, goonish behaviour. And thinking that the leader of the opposition sided with them is disturbing and uberly disappointing.