As truck drivers formed a protest convoy in Canada decrying the country’s vaccine mandates, they found vocal support from Tesla CEO Elon Musk.
The 50-year-old entrepreneur and SpaceX founder took to Twitter Thursday to declare that “Canadian truckers rule” as the impressive Freedom Convoy makes its way to the capital in Ottawa.
With some of the most stringent coronavirus mandates in the world, Canada is imposing strict guidelines on cross-border truck drivers entering Canada from the U.S., requiring them in a mandate that went into effect Jan. 15 to get tested for COVID-19 and to quarantine when they enter the country.
“The Canadian Trucking Alliance has estimated that about 15% truckers in Canada — as many as 16,000 — are not fully vaccinated against COVID-19,” Associated Press reported.
Canadian truckers rule
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 27, 2022
“CB radios are free from govt/media control,” Musk shared with his nearly 72 million followers on Twitter Thursday, in apparent support of the truckers.
CB radios are free from govt/media control
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 27, 2022
Later he also wrote “If you scare people enough, they will demand removal of freedom. This is the path to tyranny.”
If you scare people enough, they will demand removal of freedom. This is the path to tyranny.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 27, 2022
“We’ve got to watch out for the erosion of freedom in America,” Musk said in a December interview, noting that he was against vaccine mandates.
However, the billionaire also told Time after being voted Man of the Year for 2021 that he and his eligible children are vaccinated and that “the science is unequivocal.”
The protesting truckers in Canada were dismissed by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau who called them a “small fringe minority who are on the way to Ottawa who are holding unacceptable views.”
“What we are hearing from some people associated with this convoy is completely unacceptable,” he said.
I’m seeing reports that the truckers convoy for freedom in Canada is now over 50km long with thousands of trucks.
The convoy is stretching for hours as far as the eye can see.
This might be the largest convoy in history.
People want FREEDOM.
Why isn’t this bigger news?
— PeterSweden (@PeterSweden7) January 26, 2022
Crowd cheering on the freedom trucker convoy in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada as it makes it’s way to Ottawa to protest mandates and restrictions in the country. pic.twitter.com/jHvoOluY17
— Marie Oakes (@TheMarieOakes) January 25, 2022
Former President Donald Trump’s son, Donald Trump Jr. shared a video in support of the truckers.
“Let’s support these truckers fighting for freedom, fighting as patriots in their country and patriots in America. We need more people willing to push back and say enough is enough to the nonsense,” he said.
Donald Trump Jr shouting out support for #TruckersConvoy2022 to #EndMandates and restore #freedom : pic.twitter.com/pOedlZMP1I
— Patrick Doucette (@patrickdoucette) January 26, 2022
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Originally from New York, Powers graduated from New York University and eventually made her way to sunny South Florida. Powers also contributes to BizPac Review.
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