Truckers convoy in Canada

Dutchboy wrote:

The Duluth Mn mask mandate expires this weekend.

That’s great news! Everyone knows you can’t eat licorice with a mask!! Lol

Reef W wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>B-man wrote:</div>
There are 1.2 MILLION registered commerical vehicles in Canada.

The teamsters?? 15,000 driver’s?? That represents the true “very small fringe minority”.

Literally 1.25%

You think there are 1.2 million “long haul truck drivers” in a country of 38 million?

Obviously not, but do you think there’s a 100 trucks sitting around for every driver in the union??

I edited my post to get rid of the 1.25% 20 minutes before you sent my quote through with it, because it was obviously a little misleading….. Kind of like a lot of statistics lately

My point overall is that the teamsters union represents a small fraction of drivers in Canada.

The union I am in also supports beliefs that I do not. Just because I’m in the union doesn’t mean I believe everything they are for.

Again, this whole thing may have started with a few pissed off truck drivers, but it has grown exponentially.

It is no longer about a mandate for international trucking.

It is about the freedom of the Canadian people to be able to make their own decisions and not to be forced into small groups, be divided, and to not wear muzzles all day long.

I pray that one day we can have that here as well.

B-man wrote:

There are 1.2 MILLION registered commerical vehicles in Canada.

The teamsters?? 15,000 driver’s?? That represents the true “small fringe minority”.

Literally 1.25%

Not joking… teamster drivers are the small fringe of the trucking industry. All are company drivers and believe the majority are large fleet carriers. Some do very specific work that is very needed but can only access this work because they are a union drivers and pass standards that meet government policy.

Here in the USA and I believe in Canada also the majority of OTR (over the road) drivers are considered small fleet carriers. I can look but last we were told over 80% in the USA are small fleet and very few are union drivers.

At my work we arrange over 4000 shipment a year. Less than 5 percent are union drivers and I am being liberal there.

Teamsters drivers mostly consist of guys working 8-12 hour days and sleep in their own bed at night.

Also, many of these drivers questions their union leaders every day.

I would also be willing to bet 100.00 that there there are a pile of teamster union employees in this convoy with their personal vehicle holding a Canadian flag strapped to a hockey stick.

Michael, your post only shows how the president of the union had to respond and cater to government and policies. They have to do this to retain their business contracts. If they were to support the convoy they loose work from government and large corporations the next day.

Your attachment does not support the guy in the union paying dues anyways. Maybe the “small fringe” but it does not represent the majority of these people. It only supports the union $$. Nothing new there.

Reef W wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>B-man wrote:</div>
There are 1.2 MILLION registered commerical vehicles in Canada.

The teamsters?? 15,000 driver’s?? That represents the true “very small fringe minority”.

Literally 1.25%

You think there are 1.2 million “long haul truck drivers” in a country of 38 million?

I believe Canada claims around 330,000 but is closer to 275,000 of drivers that are OTR contract or commercial drivers.

These numbers are hard to define. A CDL driver might have his license to pull a trailer at work but never see an 18 wheeler in his hands. I don’t know the exact #s. Just what we receive from transportation data. Another driver might be pulling grain from the farm to the dryer 30 miles down the road. Lots of scenarios to understand.

For comparison the USA is around 1.8 million in the same scenario above.

buschman wrote:

Trucker drivers have never done anything near this in the past and have the ability to cripple an economy if not available. More than any industry beside energy. That’s the point here. They can peacefully decline to work without leaving people to freeze but will send a shockwave through their essential goods. One that is big enough to make the government respond to the issue and debate it rather than hide and make up lies.

If the number of truckers participating in this protest are the majority, is there any evidence yet of crippling the economy? Or any significant impact at all?

Honest question, not trolling. I’ve been reading through the National coverage and haven’t heard anything about it yet.

Matt I don’t think anyone is saying or even believes the majority of truckers in the nation are physically participating by blocking streets.

That’s like asking if everybody who voted Republican was in Washington on January 6th….

However, it’s very clear that a substantial percentage of the Canadian population is fed up with the overreach of the government, many vaccinated people included.

The problem is that these mandates will be lifted in time. The pandemic has proven to ebb and flow since the beginning and the application of restrictions often times has come far to late to make a difference. One thing Canada has going for it is their high vaccination rates. It’s proven in many countries around the world that high vaccination rates have significantly reduced hospital burden. So much so that many public restrictions are being lifted early around the world and may not be used again. Many liberal states are lifting them as well.

For those reasons these protests are virtually meaningless to the Canadian government. Cases and hospitalizations in Canada have crashed in the past few weeks. Is it because of vaccines? No. Is it because of mandates? No. No one knows why the virus does what it does. What is clear is that the vaccines have significantly reduced the burden on hospitals. I’d be surprised if any restrictions are imposed in future COVID waves because of what was learned from the latest.

With those restrictions lifted, what’s left to protest? The proof of vaccination to cross the border? My bet is that protest attendance will dwindle once mask and business restrictions are lifted locally. Unless they find more impactful tactics, the border requirement is going to stick. Especially considering it is reciprocal.

I hear ya Matt

The drivers participating in the convoy do not have to make up the majority to make an impact.

Even if 80% of the trucks were parked and not moving it takes time to see the impact. I see capacity and freight cost move quick but we do not see the impact at home or in our stores for 1-3 months. It is a supply chain issue and takes time for the shock to get from one end to the other.

It is so confusing in this case because there is no real number of how many truck are not pulling freight in Canada. The most consistent % I hear is 38000. Some of these guys are not pulling freight right now anyway.

This is why they started blocking the border. All those trucks getting delayed and sitting become part of the convoy economically. Doesn’t matter if they agree or disagree with the movement. It will affect the supply chain. 100 semis at the bridge has turned into 1000. That’s not a real number but a comparison.

How many support the convoy?? That’s objective also. I know many do but they also have to pay bills and care for their family. The majority of supporters are not holding signs at a protest.

Many people are looking to these drivers as hero’s fighting for them when they have not been able to get their voice heard. So the # of trucks does not matter in the end. It is how strong and impacting they can be as a team while being respectful and peaceful. This is becoming a world spotlight and why “some” are attacking and resisting compromise with this movement.

Matt, you cannot compare liberal states in the USA to the Canadian mandates.

The QR code mandate started 1/3 in Quebec and the truckers mandate at the border started 1/15.

The convoy started 1/23 and after this date we are seeing mandates lift all over the place. Coincidence ?? We only have expiration dates too. 95% of mandates are still in place that I see. That is only a start. We have seen them move and adjust mandates like a walleye bite in a cold front.

buschman wrote:

Matt, you cannot compare liberal states in the USA to the Canadian mandates.

The QR code mandate started 1/3 in Quebec and the truckers mandate at the border started 1/15.

The convoy started 1/23 and after this date we are seeing mandates lift all over the place. Coincidence ?? We only have expiration dates too. 95% of mandates are still in place that I see. That is only a start. We have seen them move and adjust mandates like a walleye bite in a cold front.

yeah we have been “lucky” the Canadians have been much worse off

The term “commercial” can be mis-leading when you get to talking about US drivers. Here in the states guys with pick-up trucks doing hotshot and delivering RV’s in many cases are considered commercial. I think if you are CDL and plated over 26,000 lbs they consider you commercial, at least in the DOT’s eyes. So in the states it’s not only semi’s & straight trucks but pick-ups also. I don’t know how Canada works in that regard.

Coincidence? Yes, 100%. Thats just my opinion though. The news is full of mandates lifting all over the world. Coincidence makes sense to
Me.

As far as comparing CA mandates to liberal states, it was never my intent. Just pointing out that the most liberal states are lifting them without protests.

Another huge point I want to make is that it doesn’t matter why the mandates are lifted. Lifting of restrictions isn’t a change to status quo. The entire western world is testing the waters of living with the virus by dropping their restrictions with relatively high levels of cases. Lifting of restrictions is something everyone will celebrate, including government officials.

Call me a centrist, call me a liberal, I just don’t see anything substantive that they stand to gain.

Feathers wrote:

Canada was not going to lift their restrictions. Look no further than the prime ministers reaction to this. It is no coincidence.

Dem states lifting them is because they know how unpopular they are at this point and mid terms are coming.

Regardless, I agree, it is worth celebrating.

Nailed it 110% ^^^^^

Before the protests, the rules and mandates were getting worse….not better.

Matt, I know you’re a good guy and have fished with you plenty of times, but come on man…. Even Ray Charles could see the immediate effects that the protest is already having (just ribbing you in good fun)

biggill wrote:

Lifting of restrictions is something everyone will celebrate, including government officials.

Bingo!!!!

Your right as well about the virus. Nothing will change. We will see infecting continue with or without vaccines but the news and politics will slow the fear factor and stop scaring the crap out of everyone and it becomes normalized.

Some just hate to see a trucking convoy start the process. The relief of mandates and restrictions was meant for someone else to take credit for ??? Just a thought.

So is it not a coincidence if that the COVID numbers are falling like Ray Charles waking out on a short dock?

COVID restrictions ebb and flow with the virus.

buschman wrote:

Nothing will change. We will see infecting continue with or without vaccines but the news and politics will slow the fear factor and stop scaring the crap out of everyone and it becomes normalized.
thought.

So this is the kind of fear that had me voting so conservative for most of my life. Fear the democrats that want to take your guns. The dems are the radical left that want to control you. COVID is a global leftist-communist conspiracy to control us. You can’t separate this protest from that philosophy.

Pick one side they call you blind to the obvious communist authoritarian rule. Pick the other side they call you a Q nut for believing those evil socialists are out to get you.

buschman wrote:

Some just hate to see a trucking convoy start the process. The relief of mandates and restrictions was meant for someone else to take credit for ??? Just a thought.

I’m not following. I’m trying to argue that no one is responsible for this.

Feathers wrote:

Do you think Canada would just abandon the QR code once Covid numbers dropped? I don’t.

Remind me if that happens. It’s the only thing I can see that the protests would be responsible for and I’ll be first to admit I was wrong.

biggill wrote:

So is it not a coincidence if that the COVID numbers are falling like Ray Charles waking out on a short dock?

COVID restrictions ebb and flow with the virus.

Then please explain how hospitalizations are still INCREDIBLY higher than when proof of vaccination was again required last fall in Saskatchewan?

In order to justify your ebb and flow idea, the data and restrictions would follow each other.

Canada is still near a record high for the year with hospitalizations…. Seems like a silly time to start dropping restrictions according to your point.

Statistically the worst time really….but it’s happening.

What’s crazier yet is this somehow still happened with a near 90% vaccination rate going into winter.

It’s weird….

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Cases have fallen by 85% since Jan 10. The number of people entering the hospital will decline as quickly as cases. Continuing with restrictions would be pointless.

Canadas vaccination rates is less than 80% with 2 doses. Even at that, the rate of cases/hospitalizations is far far less. Peak cases during the previous wave was about 10K. Hospitalizations was about 4400. Peak cases during omicron was about 58k. Hospitalizations was about 10,700. So a 5.8 fold increase in cases but only a 2.4 fold increase of hospitalizations. Risk with vaccination and immunity is significantly less.

I feel like you’re painting me into the corner that I’m for the restrictions because I don’t support the protest. I’m not.

Bring the kids over this weekend to go skating. We’ll talk about… fishing.

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Matt, I’m not trying to single you out, I just think you’re missing my point.

Canada and their prime minister had zero intentions of loosening the noose before the protest, even though case numbers and hospitalizations were on the downward trend from a record high (and still are).

He didn’t say, “Oh, let’s give it a couple weeks, things are looking better, no need to protest.”

Instead he’s still hiding and standing strong on his beliefs, and it’s just adding fuel to the fire for all of his people that are fed up and want to move on.

Thankfully some of Canada’s premieres are starting to move forward.

biggill wrote:

Cases have fallen by 85% since Jan 10. The number of people entering the hospital will decline as quickly as cases. Continuing with restrictions would be pointless.

Canadas vaccination rates is less than 80% with 2 doses. Even at that, the rate of cases/hospitalizations is far far less. Peak cases during the previous wave was about 10K. Hospitalizations was about 4400. Peak cases during omicron was about 58k. Hospitalizations was about 10,700. So a 5.8 fold increase in cases but only a 2.4 fold increase of hospitalizations. Risk with vaccination and immunity is significantly less.

I feel like you’re painting me into the corner that I’m for the restrictions because I don’t support the protest. I’m not.

Bring the kids over this weekend to go skating. We’ll talk about… fishing.

I will support any reason those truckers are protesting, this week will be 3 weeks in a row with no overtime. The government will drop the requirement when the lost taxes cost them too much and likely state it was done because omicron is much less deadly according to recent studies.

If you want interesting stats, Dane County WI has over 79% vaccinated and over 60% with a booster along with a mask mandate. Over 32% of their total positive tests have been this year, the percentage of deaths is at 7% of total for this year. My county has maybe 60% vaccinated, no mask mandate, cases this year are at 23% of total and deaths is 3%

I gave up looking at hospitalizations as they include anyone who is hospitalized with a positive test, it could be they are there because of a gunshot. I don’t know if Canada does it, but I saw this on MN health department website ” Total cases hospitalized includes patients admitted for any reason within 14 days of a positive SARS-CoV-2 test.”

I think this is spot on. Same with here in the US. Political pressure is driving alot of this in the face of statistics. Variants will continue and govt. will continue to press their hand if no one stands up for it. Virginia is case in point. New Governor was slammed when he announced mandates were being lifted. Couple weeks later it’s starting to spread (almost ALL are Democrat controlled states). If you think politics do not play a huge role in this I think you are being pretty naïve ( all due respect)

B-Man
Canada and their prime minister had zero intentions of loosening the noose before the protest, even though case numbers and hospitalizations were on the downward trend from a record high (and still are).

He didn’t say, “Oh, let’s give it a couple weeks, things are looking better, no need to protest.”

Instead he’s still hiding and standing strong on his beliefs, and it’s just adding fuel to the fire for all of his people that are fed up and want to move on.

Thankfully some of Canada’s premieres are starting to move forward.

The truckers will choke the life out of those mandates, then it will be onto the United States.

buschman, this morning I found an answer to my question yesterday.

https://apnews.com/article/6f60c879c0c2eff82235e3157ad79bb0

TORONTO (AP) — A blockade of the bridge between Canada and Detroit by protesters demanding an end to Canada’s COVID-19 restrictions forced the shutdown Wednesday of a Ford plant and began to have broader implications for the North American auto industry.

I read somewhere that they are trying to get the truckers together in the United States March 1st. For anybody who has traveled the country can you imagine what they could do plugging up Interstate 80 & 40. I guess the idea is to drive to D.C much like the Canadian truckers have done in Ottawa.

Good to see the “Homeland security threat” news report this was about these truckers. Thought all last summer truckers where the life blood of our country. Now they are terrorists. Only positive about the report this morning is the truckers might shut down the super bowl. Now if they could just keep the halftime show from happening I say give them what ever they want.

Mike W wrote:

Good to see the “Homeland security threat” news report this was about these truckers. Thought all last summer truckers where the life blood of our country. Now they are terrorists. Only positive about the report this morning is the truckers might shut down the super bowl. Now if they could just keep the halftime show from happening I say give them what ever they want.

Not just truckers. They added free speech to their advisory. Unless it supports the current regime.
1. The proliferation of false or misleading narratives, which sow discord or undermine public trust in U.S. government institutions:
For example, there is widespread online proliferation of false or misleading narratives regarding unsubstantiated widespread election fraud and COVID-19.

Also in the USA….

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Papers please……..

California wants you to offer a bed in your house to a homeless person.

Umy wrote:

Papers please……..

California wants you to offer a bed in your house to a homeless person.

Pretty sure Jesus Christ would love it as well. But I forget we are only a “Christian nation built on Christian values” when it suits the narrative of a certain group.