For the second weekend in a row, protests against coronavirus health measures were held in Canada, with trucks blocking the streets in Ottawa, Toronto, Quebec City, and Vancouver, according to the Washington Post:
In Canada’s capital, big rigs and other vehicles — emblazoned with signs blasting Trudeau in obscene language and reading “Mandate Freedom” — blocked main arteries and intersections. Several demonstrators, who included families with children, waved Canadian flags affixed to hockey sticks.
As of midday Saturday, Ottawa Police Chief Peter Sloly reported a thousand vehicles, roughly 5,000 protesters and at least 300 counterprotesters in his city’s streets. That was fewer people than there were in last weekend’s protests but a large increase since Friday.
“This is a siege,” Sloly said. “It is something that is different in our democracy than I’ve ever experienced in my life.”
While the protests are causing transportation to grind to a halt in many Canadian cities, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) thought he’d stick his nose where it clearly doesn’t belong, urging truck drivers in Canada to allow people to starve by leaving “empty shelves,” though he didn’t make it clear how the truckers would be able to earn a living if they refuse to do their jobs.
Vancouver Mayor Kennedy Stewart made it clear he hoped the protests in his city should be brief and that they weren’t supported by the majority of residents:
“As the Mayor of a city with an over 95 per cent vaccination rate, my message to the convoy is this: Vancouver doesn’t want you here. Make your point and then go home.”
My statement on tomorrow’s planned convoy protest in #Vancouver.
TLDR:
“As the Mayor of a city with an over 95 per cent vaccination rate, my message to the convoy is this: Vancouver doesn’t want you here. Make your point and then go home.”#vanpoli #covid19 pic.twitter.com/6b3SFYCyW7
— Kennedy Stewart (@kennedystewart) February 5, 2022
Even though he lives in Texas, Cruz felt a need to weigh on what’s happening with our neighbors to the north, suggesting on Twitter that truck drivers should starve out the public:
Mayor says “Vancouver doesn’t want” truck drivers there. 🤔
Folks might feel differently with empty shelves. https://t.co/hPWvzpiQWl
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) February 5, 2022
However, Mayor Stewart got the last word:
Can someone tell @tedcruz our store shelves are fine thanks to the 90% of Canadian truckers who are fully vaccinated.
Too busy high-fiving all the awesome folks in #Vancouver that are helping push back against the #hateconvoy.#vanpoli #covid19 https://t.co/kA7jInwODF
— Kennedy Stewart (@kennedystewart) February 6, 2022
So far, Cruz hasn’t replied to Mayor Stewart. And based on how the mayor just schooled him, he’d be wise to delete his account and go into social media silence.
Featured Image Via NBC News