Watson’s backdoor dealing with ‘freedom convoy’ is harmful, say some Ottawa residents

Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson's deal with the so-called 'Freedom Convoy' is being scrutinized by some Ottawa residents but accepted by others.

Monday came and went, but some Ottawa residents remain frustrated at the backdoor deal made by Mayor Jim Watson, who feel he legitimized the organizers of the so-called “Freedom Convoy.”

Trucks and supporters still remain in downtown Ottawa and despite the deal, just a handful of trucks were escorted by police to a new location.

“It feels like he hasn’t shown up for residents, particularly not for those in the downtown core,” said Fae Johnstone, an Ottawa resident. “To see him now back channelling with folks that I would describe as white supremacists is really concerning to me.”

In an statement released on Sunday, the Freedom Convoy Board said it agreed with the mayor’s request to begin moving operations out of residential neighbourhoods.

“We have made a plan to consolidate our protest efforts around Parliament Hill. We will be working hard over the next 24 hours to get buy in from the truckers. We hope to start repositioning our trucks on Monday,” reads a letter from the board.

The convoy, which started as an anti-vaccine and COVID-19 mandate protest, is seeking to end all mandates that the protestors say limit their lives.

The mayor had called on organizers to shift operations to the areas around Wellington Street, between Elgin Street and the Sir John A. Macdonald Parkway, near the Parliament buildings. On Monday evening, Watson said some movement had begun, but offered no specifics of how many trucks and protests were moving.

“The convoy leaders have started to act on their commitment to move several trucks from the residential district south of Wellington. This is a complex multi-day operation in support of our residents,” he tweeted.