Approximately a 100 people came out on Saturday night to welcome home trucker from Port Hope who had his big rig impounded for seven days in Ottawa.
Wendell Thorndyke from Port Hope had been in Ottawa since the Freedom Convoy arrived on January 27, 2022.
Downtown Ottawa in front of Parliament Hill was jammed with transport trucks from across Canada protesting the COVID mandates along with other issues.
On Saturday, February 19, 2022, police converged on the remaining transports in the downtown and impounded them for seven days.
Thorndyke’s trailer was parked on Wellington Street for the duration of the protest in Ottawa.
When Thorndyke and his big rig arrived back in Port Hope at 9:40 p.m. on Saturday evening there were approximately 100 people waiting in the parking lot of the service centre, just north of Highway 401 in Port Hope.
With horns honking, people waving Canadian flags and cheering, Thorndyke rolled up to what was described by supporters as a heroes welcome.
Speaking to Today’s Northumberland shortly after being greeted by his family and in front of his supporters, Thorndyke said the three weeks spent in Ottawa were “intense.”
“Watching the kids get beat-up like that – it just wasn’t right. It was actually pretty sick.”
Thorndyke had to pay over $1,200 in impound fees before the cab and trailer were released.
When his truck was seized, Thorndyke left the side doors to his cab open, so his windows weren’t broken, but other trucks in the compound clearly had damage.
“There was a lot of damage to all the trucks. They left one man’s truck run all week. Smashed windows. Windows left down – filled the interiors with snow and ice. It was pretty pathetic.”
Parking on Wellington Street just about directly in front of Parliament Hill for the duration of the protest, Thorndyke said he didn’t receive any tickets from police, but a friend nearby received seven tickets at $57 each.
During the entire time spent in Ottawa at the protest, Thorndyke described the three weeks by stating, “never saw an argument. It was hands down the most beautiful thing I’ve seen in my life. The caring – the giving – it was spectacular.”
Summing it up he said the protest was for the rights and freedoms of Canadians.
“We’re being stripped of everything, everyday. And I refuse to watch my little guy (son) wear a mask in school. I’m just done with this. And when they said they were coming down with the convoy I thought – I’m in.”
Looking back at the protest and what it’s cost him, Thorndyke doesn’t hesitate when asked if it was all worth it.
“Absolutely. With all those people down there and the way that went down, I’d do it all over again.”
When asked where do we go from here – Thorndyke’s response was, “I can’t tell you that. There’s more to come.”
Author: Pete Fisher
Has been a photojournalist for over 30-years and have been honoured to win numerous awards for photography and writing over the years. Best selling author for the book Highway of Heroes - True Patriot Love
