Once opponents, these two Kelowna politicians are together on ending vaccine mandates

As a trucker convoy prepares to descend on Ottawa this weekend to protest mandatory vaccines for cross-border truckers, two Kelowna women who battled for the federal Kelowna-Lake County Conservative nomination in 2019 have come out with similar messages to, essentially, support the protest.

“I have been opposed to mandatory vaccination policies forcing hard working people to lose their jobs and livelihoods in federally regulated industries,” Tracy Gray, who won the battle and is now the MP for the riding, wrote on her Facebook page. “That’s why I have been pressuring the federal government to utilize all tools available, such as providing sufficient rapid tests to our provinces and community, since April 2020.”

While she doesn’t directly reference the trucker’s convoy, she does criticize Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for his handling of the pandemic and its subsequent disruption in supply chains.

Renee Merrifield lost the nomination race to Gray in 2019 but went on to get elected in Kelowna-Mission as a Liberal MLA in the provincial government in 2020 and is now running for the leadership of her party.

“The truckers rally currently driving across Canada is what happens when politicians have lost sight of common sense solutions and have turned instead to divisive language,” Merrifield said in a statement that attracted attacks on social media from radio talk show host and former Liberal MLA Jas Johal.

“In a time when inflation is rising, supply chains are already under incredible stress and we have many tools in our arsenal to combat the spread of COVID, including rapid tests, making no reasonable accommodations for these truckers makes no sense.”

The convoy started from B.C. last weekend in protest against the Canadian federal government requiring all truckers crossing the Canada-U.S. border to be vaccinated against COVID as of Jan. 15. The U.S. government has a similar rule in place.

READ MORE: UPDATE: Hundreds gather for trucker ‘Freedom Convoy’ protesting COVID-19 vaccine mandates in Kamloops, Salmon Arm

The convoy arrived in Ottawa Friday for a weekend rally that is drawing truckers and supporters from all parts of Canada.

“While the size of the convoy has been a source of debate, the Kingston police said it had counted 17 full tractor trailers, 104 big rigs without trailers, 424 passenger vehicles and six recreational vehicles,” a Canadian Press story said today, Jan. 28.

READ MORE: Trucker convoy leaves Kingston heading for weekend rally in Ottawa.

The Canadian Trucking Alliance is against the protest and said that 85% of its members are vaccinated. Individual truckers have also posted their opposition on social media.

An estimated 26,000 of the 160,000 drivers who make regular trips across the Canada-U.S. border will be sidelined by the vaccine mandate.

While organizers are calling for a peaceful protest, fringe groups have latched onto the convoy and likened it to the Jan. 6, 2021 protest in Washington that tried to stop the confirmation of President Joe Biden.

“A group called Canada Unity is organizing the movement, which its members refer to as the ‘freedom convoy,’” another Canadian Press story states.

READ MORE: Police prepare for possible violence as fringe groups latch on to truckers convoy

On its website, Canada Unity has posted a Memorandum of Understanding that it wants the Senate and Governor General – referred to as the highest authorities representing the federal government – to sign.

That’s to be followed by an immediate ceasing of “all unconstitutional, discriminatory and segregating actions and human rights violations.” It also calls for all fines issued by all levels of government to be waived.

Trudeau has said he will not back down on the vaccine mandate while Conservative Party Leader Erin O’Toole said he will meet with some of the truckers and said he and his MPs are against the vaccine mandate.

Police forces in Ottawa are preparing for thousands of people to rally at Parliament Hill.

Merrifield also criticized B.C. health officials for extending the use of vaccine cards until the end of June.

“Rapid tests should be deployed to British Columbians and we should all take personal responsibility to keep each other safe,” she wrote. “The UK did it, Denmark is following suit. We have done our part in keeping each other safe, it’s time to get back to normal.”

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