Kootenay Columbia MP Rob Morrison said he supports a convoy heading to Ottawa this weekend to protest vaccine mandates for truckers.
The convoy started in B.C. and will head to Parliament Hill by this Saturday.
Morrison, a federal Conservative Party member, said he stands against mandatory vaccines in general.
“I have never been in support of mandatory vaccinations, and I have been consistent in support of truckers, right from the beginning,” said Morrison.
“What they’re doing now, I support 100 per cent. They’re a group of individuals that, when we were having food supply shortages, particularly in our area, they were there when there weren’t any vaccinations and they were working their hearts out.”
The mandate from the Canadian government was put into effect on Jan. 14 and requires people to be vaccinated when they cross the Canada/U.S. border, including truck drivers. Similar rules were imposed by the U.S. government on the 22nd.
Even if Canada were to repeal the mandate, the United States would have to follow suit for Canadian truckers to cross the border.
Morrison said Conservative party leader Erin O’Toole has come out in support of the protests, as of Thursday evening.
“We support peaceful demonstrations. That’s the same line that I’ve been saying since the beginning of COVID when the trucking industry was being praised for being available and working hard to help out as much as they could.”
The MP also spoke about the Liberal and NDP stance on pandemic policy.
“The other parties are, to me, into the mandatory vaccines and continuing with lockdowns. Whereas I’m thinking that now is the time we start opening up our businesses, getting our economic recovery on track and start focusing on staying healthy,” said Morrison.