Underway right now a very, VERY large group of truck drivers is heading to Ottawa to protest mandatory vaccinations and to demand that policy be rescinded. Now, do their associations have their backs? Not in the slightest.
The Canadian Trucking Alliance made waves recently when they condemned the planned “convoy to Ottawa”. From their own statement:
The vast majority of the Canadian trucking industry is vaccinated with the overall industry vaccination rate among truck drivers closely mirroring that of the general public. Accordingly, most of our nation’s hard-working truck drivers are continuing to move cross-border and domestic freight to ensure our economy continues to function.
The Canadian Trucking Alliance (CTA) does not support and strongly disapproves of any protests on public roadways, highways, and bridges. CTA believes such actions – especially those that interfere with public safety – are not how disagreements with government policies should be expressed. Members of the trucking industry who want to publicly express displeasure over government policies can choose to hold an organized, lawful event on Parliament Hill or contact their local MP. What is not acceptable is disrupting the motoring public on highways and commerce at the border.
“The Government of Canada and the United States have now made being vaccinated a requirement to cross the border. This regulation is not changing so, as an industry, we must adapt and comply with this mandate,” said CTA president Stephen Laskowski. “The only way to cross the border, in a commercial truck or any other vehicle, is to get vaccinated.”
Instead of supporting the people who pay their salaries, the C.T.A. makes the suggestion to “call your Member of Parliament”. That’s interesting, considering that all parties are pretty much on board with the same thing. Like so many unions and association groups before, the C.T.A. seems content to throw the workers under the bus. On the surface this is alarming.
The C.T.A does not exist in isolation. Provincial counterparts make up this group, giving it more political power, and ability to influence policy.
Another red flag is that several of the groups that make up the Canadian Trucking Alliance have been receiving CEWS, the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy. This includes British Columbia, Alberta, and the Atlantic Provinces. Right there, loyalty to the members is tested against the best interests of their employees.
Yes, this is beating a dead horse, but plenty of industries are taking the blood money. This includes: restaurants and hotels, political parties, law firms, more law firms, and churches, to name a few.
In November 2020, the Manitoba Trucking Association received a $125,000 grant from the Western Economic Diversification Program. The stated goal was helping companies adapt to the “pandemic” circumstances in their businesses. Previously, they had taken $268,000 back in 2014. The Atlantic Provinces Trucking Associaton received $37,500 back in 2013 from the Federal Government.
In a move that should surprise no one, the C.T.A. regularly lobbies the Federal Government on a number of issues. Readers of this site should expect this. One item to note is immigration:
“Immigration – related to temporary foreign worker program and support for demand driven immigration allowances specific to assisting shortage of qualified truck drivers.”
While the C.T.A. is putting the screws to its own people, and supporting vaccine mandates, they are also calling on Ottawa to make it easier to import a replacement workforce. Presumably, the people coming into the country will only be able to as a condition of taking the shots (2 or 3 so far). The Saskatchewan Trucking Association — a member group — is also pushing to have an increase in immigration to import more truck drivers. So did their Ontario counterpart in 2019. What sort of picture are we getting here?
[1] Force Canadians out, or to retire, with mandatory medical procedure.
[2] Import new truckers who would be willing to work for less, and take the shots.
Unfortunately, this is hardly the only industry where this is happening.
If you think the trucking groups are only lobbying Federally, you would be very much mistaken. It continues on:
| TIME | GOVERNMENT BRANCH | AMOUNT |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 | WorkSafeBC | $1,826,134 |
| 2019 | Employment and Social Development Canada | $22,000 |
| 2019 | Ministry of Transportation & Infrastructure | $1,400,000 |
| 2019 | Natural Resources Canada | $20,000 |
| 2019 | WorkSafeBC | $1,393,716 |
| 2020-01-15 to 2021-12-31 | WorkSafeBC | $4,641,567 |
| 2020-03-31 to 2021-03-31 | Transportation and Infrastructure | $1,540,000 |
The British Columbia Trucking Association (which is part of C.T.A.) has regularly been receiving money both Provincial and Federal Governments. That may explain why there is no real opposition to forcing the truckers to take the experimental shots. In fact, C.T.A. put out a joint statement with Ottawa on the topic of vaccinating workers.
Why does the Canadian Trucking Alliance support mandatory vaccines, and object to the protests in Ottawa? Maybe, just maybe, their interests aren’t with the individual truckers. Perhaps, money does influence policy positions.
Taking a quick look through CEWS and other Federal grants, there are plenty of trucking companies who are receiving handouts as well. This would explain why so many are on board with vaccine mandates.
Instead of looking out for workers, the C.T.A. touts the advantage of a projected driver shortage claiming it will ultimately drive up wages. Sure, except for the people who were let go.
(1) https://cantruck.ca/canadian-trucking-alliance-statement-to-those-engaged-in-road-border-protests/
(2) https://apps.cra-arc.gc.ca/ebci/hacc/srch/pub/advncdSrch
(3) https://apps.cra-arc.gc.ca/ebci/habs/cews/srch/pub/dsplyBscSrch?request_locale=en
(4) https://search.open.canada.ca/en/gc/id/wd-deo,GC-WD-DEO-2020-2021-Q3-1103,current
(5) https://search.open.canada.ca/en/gc/id/wd-deo,GC-WD-DEO-2013-2014-Q4-00142,current
(6) https://search.open.canada.ca/en/gc/id/acoa-apeca,276-2013-2014-Q1-00004,current
(7) https://lobbycanada.gc.ca/app/secure/ocl/lrs/do/vwRg?cno=622®Id=916231#regStart
(8) https://www.lobbyistsregistrar.bc.ca/app/secure/orl/lrs/do/vwRg?cno=596®Id=56562530
(9) https://www.sasklobbyistregistry.ca/search-the-registry/registration-details/?id=a541fccd-1c72
(10) https://www.canada.ca/en/transport-canada/news/2022/01/declaration-commune-des-ministresalghabra-oregan-et-qualtrough-et-du-president-de-lalliance-canadienne-du-camionnage.html
(11) https://cantruck.ca/vaccine-mandate-leading-to-better-driver-pay-carrier/
(12) https://ctacanada.com/quality-service/
(A) https://canucklaw.ca/media-subsidies-and-govt-financing/
(B) https://canucklaw.ca/media-controlled-opposition/
(C) https://canucklaw.ca/groups-calling-for-vaccine-passports-heavily-subsidized-by-government/
(D) https://canucklaw.ca/trudeau-using-taxpayer-money-to-subsidize-opposition-parties-liberals-too/
(E) https://canucklaw.ca/law-firms-bar-associations-receiving-canada-emergency-wage-subsidy-cews/
(F) https://canucklaw.ca/conflicting-out-its-not-just-cews-that-the-lawyers-are-receiving/
(G) https://canucklaw.ca/following-the-money-why-are-churches-really-pushing-the-vaxx-agenda