Ottawa residents whose lives were disrupted for three weeks during the winter Freedom Convoy protest told the Public Order Emergency Commission on Friday they felt “helpless,” with one saying she’s experiencing long term effects.
“The impact on my physical well being is quite extensive. I certainly during the experience had difficulty sleeping, I had an effect on my lungs and my throat because of the fumes and other smells, and I also have long term effects,” said Victoria De La Ronde, a retiree with a mobility disability.
De La Ronde, who lives near Laurier St. in the downtown area, said she had difficulty going anywhere due to transportation services not functioning normally, and this also impacted grocery and prescription deliveries she usually relied on.
“I felt trapped and helpless,” she said.
De La Ronde said she has lingering effects such as physical reactions when hearing loud noises or smelling gas fumes.
A large number of trucks arrived in Ottawa on Jan. 28 after completing a cross-country convoy to protest the border vaccine mandate for truckers and other COVID-19 restrictions.
They settled in the city core, honking their horns regularly and at all hours, and idling their engines.
This led the other witness testifying before the inquiry on Friday morning, Zexi Li, to seek and help obtain an injunction against the honking on Feb. 7. Li also became the lead plaintiff in a class-action lawsuit against the protesters.
“Sleep deprivation was one of the first things that affected me personally, and it also affected the animals that I live with as well. They seem to be quite distressed,” Li told the commission.
Li, who also lives near Laurier St. in a high-rise apartment building, spoke of being harassed by protesters for wearing a mask while walking outside.
The lawyer representing the Freedom Convoy at the hearing, Brendan Miller, asked Li whether it was Ottawa councillor Catherine McKenney and Ottawa NDP MPP Joel Harden who had encouraged her to file the claim.
“That is not correct,” said Li. Miller then asked whether Li knew McKenney was handing out lawsuit-related releases for protesters to avoid being used.
‘The Purge’
Miller also revisited a previous statement made by Li in which she compared downtown Ottawa to a scene from the movie “The Purge.” The movie is about a day in the U.S. when no laws are enforced and citizens can kill with impunity.“So you believe that the opportunity was there for a purge type scenario? Is that right?” asked Miller.
“I believe the opportunity was there, and it was an environment where these people who had been illegally occupying our streets felt that they ... have the ability to do anything they wanted, as they were not privy to the regulations that the rest of us members of society,” Li answered.
“Laws were being broken in front of police officers who were not doing anything to combat them,” she said.
Miller asked Li whether she had seen any instances of violence committed by protesters or truckers.
Li said she only witnessed what she described as “intimidation with a truck.” When prompted, she also said she had not seen attempts to set buildings on fire.
The public hearings of the commission started on Oct. 13 in Ottawa and will run until late November.
The commission has been established as required by law after the government invoked the Emergencies Act in February to clear cross-country border blockades and protests.
