Taking A Stand....

....on a bridge in my neighbourhood.

The federal government has imposed a new COVID restriction on truckers. If truckers entering Canada from the USA are not vaccinated, they have to quarantine for 14 days. In protest, a convoy of trucks from all parts of the country is en route to Ottawa for a rally on the weekend to express their displeasure to the federal government. 

Support for the protest has grown to the point where the convoy is greeted and welcomed as it drives through southern Ontario by crowds along the highway and on the bridges that cross over it...like the one near me. I could not resist going down to it to get a blip. 

I did not join the protest;  I just took some photos -  but it reminded me of crowds out on those same bridges for a cause for which I would happily brave the cold and wave a Canadian flag. 

The freeway that these bridges span is the MacDonald-Cartier Freeway or the 401 and the section of it from Trenton to Toronto was unofficially coined as The Highway of Heroes back in 2002, after the first of Canada's soldiers killed in Afghanistan were repatriated. The remains were flown into Canadian Forces Base Trenton and then taken to Toronto where a coroner awaited them. People  young and old lined the highway and the bridges waving the red and white flag emblazoned with the maple leaf in tribute. The tradition continues today, and that section of the highway, as of 2007, is now officially named The Highway of Heroes.

Those soldiers fought and died for this country and the freedoms we take for granted - one of which is the freedom to express our views and take a stand, which seems to be happening a lot these days! So much polarization. I imagine the rally in Ottawa will be interesting to say the least - I just hope it will be peaceful and respectful.