As the rest of the world reopens after the Omicron wave swept the globe, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who hid from angry truckers who staged a massive protest, stubbornly maintains draconian COVID-19 restrictions. However, a new poll shows Canadians are tired and want the mandates lifted.
Extreme Canadians
Many Americans think of Canada as a somewhat more timid version of themselves. However, over the last 50 years, the northern neighbor has been dramatically radicalized. Almost a quarter of the country categorized themselves as atheists in 2011. In 2015, the newly elected Trudeau proudly declared that Canada could be “the first post-national country,” adding that Canada has “no core identity, no mainstream.” The pace of the Canadian cultural, religious, and national deconstruction is matched only by Sweden.
When the COVID-10 pandemic hit in 2020, many countries reacted with harsher measures than during times of war, and Canada was among the most draconian of them all. While Trudeau was an eager advocate of mandates, the provinces controlled the practical policies. Both conservative and liberal parties eagerly voted for the intense restrictions and were supported by the majority of people.
Weary
However, even progressive Canadians have a limit for how much authoritarian government intervention they can handle. After nearly two years of crackdowns on civil liberties and with the mild Omicron promising to end the pandemic, people rapidly turned against mandates. The first ones to break the silence were truckers.
With the support of all major parties, including the conservatives, Trudeau enacted federal vaccination passports and mandates for border crossings. In practice, about 26,000 truckers were given an ultimatum to get vaccinated or vanish. Starting on Jan. 15, disillusioned truckers formed a convoy, and it quickly grew to thousands of vehicles converging on Ottawa to protest.
Trudeau and his family promptly left their home in the capital. When he re-emerged from hiding, he called the protesters a “fringe minority” and “tinfoil hats,” associating them with racists and Nazis.
New Majority
Photo by Amru Salahuddien/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
However, the truckers are no fringe. In an Angus Reid poll conducted Jan. 27-28, 54% of the respondents agreed with the statement that “it’s time to end restrictions and let people self-isolate if they’re at risk,” up from 39% in early January. The sudden change of heart suggests that Canadians support the truckers and are tired of restrictions.
The change has been most significant among those with the strongest opinions. In early January, only 21% “strongly agreed” and 25% “strongly disagreed,” while in the latest poll, those numbers have flipped to 32% and 16%, respectively. Women over the age of 54 are the only demographic where a majority wants to continue the restrictions.
Jordan Peterson
Canada’s most famous intellectual, Dr. Jordan Peterson, has recently asked Premiers Jason Kenney, Scott Moe, and Doug Ford and Leader of Her Majesty’s Loyal Opposition Erin O’Toole: “What are you waiting for? This is your moment. Seize the day.” He urged them to side with the people and end the liberty incursions. “We could have our country back. We could move into the future in a normal manner,” he said in a YouTube message.
The truckers have gained support from both intellectuals and most Canadians. Will it be enough to convince politicians to unclench their iron grip on the economy?
~ Read more from Caroline Adana.
