No attack on personal freedom
Ottawa police give ultimatum to truckers, Feb. 10
Personal freedom has its limits. When the community at large is affected by something such as COVID-19, governments act to prevent the spread of disease.
This they did, albeit too slowly. Lockdowns, vaccination mandates, masking are all part of those measures to keep all safe.
They are not an attack on personal freedom.
Unfortunately, there are those who continue to go down the rabbit hole of misinformation.
Personal freedom does not give me the right to disobey laws, and rule, such as lockdowns, infect others with disease or affect the wellbeing of people who need to go about their lives.
Those convoying should understand this or we will end up with more restrictions, not more freedoms.
Tom Pawloski, Mississauga
Anti-democratic minority threatens our freedoms Protesting truckers should be heard, Feb. 11
Frank Stronach has omitted two issues which should be addressed:
First, responsibility … responsibility to our fellow Canadians goes with freedom.
Vaccination, which has been critical in limiting the spread of COVID-19, is a responsibility a large majority of Canadians, including Canadian truckers, have undertaken.
A small minority of truckers and protesters have put their health and the health of their families, friends and all Canadians in danger.
Second, change of government. Canadians change governments through democratic elections and confidence votes in Parliament and legislatures. Some extremists are demanding a change of a government, elected only last September, by other means.
Stronach writes about “how freedoms get slowly stripped away.”
If these protesters were to get their way, the stripping away of freedoms would be anything but slow.
Dr. Arthur Zalev, Marcia Zalev, Toronto
Patience is wearing thin with selfish anti-vax truckers Protesting truckers should be heard, Feb. 11
Frank Stronach has argued that the protesting truckers “embody many of the values that make this country special,” in particular, “individual freedom.” He claims that “freedom is fundamental,” a lesson that we all need to relearn. But Stronach and the protesters don’t seem to appreciate that freedoms come with responsibilities and that certain choices have consequences.
The protesters are acting as if they should have an untrammeled right to do as they please with no concern about how that may affect others. Chris Berzins, Burlington
Trudeau should acknowledge right to protest Protesting truckers should be heard, Feb. 11
These truckers and their supporters are not storming Parliament, nor are they are burning cities the way the hooligans of 2020 did during the protests in the United States. They are also not bigots out to create a totalitarian state; rather, they are exercising their legitimate right to air their grievances against an out-out-touch, virtue-signaling government.
It’s little different than going on strike; and no one would accuse striking postal workers, nurses and teachers with “bigotry” as a motivation. Justin Trudeau and his party have implied the convoy truckers fit the bill.
Trudeau shouldn’t worry, too much. I’m sure, just like the deficit, the protests will balance themselves, eventually.
Steven Eleftheriadis, North York
Protests are serving neither the public nor your cause Protesting truckers should be heard, Feb. 11
OK, we get it: you’re ticked off with the restrictions imposed due to COVID-19. Well, guess what? So is everyone else.
But we’ve had our shots, wear our masks to keep others from being infected, protecting our communities, friends and loved ones.
So your protests are neither serving the public, nor your cause.
Restrictions are lifting based on science and safety, not because of the disturbances you’ve created.
You’ve caused so much suffering with your misguided efforts. Produce is rotting in trucks that can’t make deliveries due to your blockades. Stop your misinformed protests and go home!
Sharron Ross, Mississauga
Members of white, male mob think they’re untouchable Power, influence and privilege on display, Feb.15
From all the published reports and commentaries regarding the so called “Freedom Convoy,” this one really hit the nail on the head. This was certainly not a protest against unjust laws or lack of freedom; on the contrary, this was a de facto demonstration of power and privilege by a group who felt entitled to both. Large and loud vehicles, stockpiles of supplies, explosives and bravado, all proclaim the elitist self-centred conglomerate of a white, male mob who think they are entitled and invulnerable.
No wonder white supremacist groups and extremist right-wingers have joined forces and provided funding! This is a great achievement for them.
Margarida Krause, Guelph, Ont.
Your protests are neither serving the public, nor your cause. Restrictions are lifting based on science and safety, not because of the disturbances you’ve created.
SHARRON ROSS MISSISSAUGA