Video posted online by Ontario police officer supporting 'Freedom Rally' being looked into
A video posted on social media by an Ontario police officer, who says she feels people are at war for their freedoms, is being looked into by a regional police force.
Durham Regional Police said Monday they are aware of a video posted by Constable Erin Howard, where in uniform she shares her support for people who are protesting against vaccine mandates for truck drivers crossing the Canada-U.S. border.
The protest has been dubbed the "Freedom Rally," and is a series of coordinated gatherings of truck drivers who are against the vaccine mandate.
The convoy of truck drivers left B.C. on Sunday and will travel east, stopping in major cities, including Toronto, Windsor, Kingston and Ottawa.
“Right now, it feels like we’re at war and those rights and freedoms are at stake,” Howard said in the video. “You guys are honestly true heroes, what you are doing is incredible.”
Howard said she is part of a group called “Police On Guard” that is suing to stop the enforcement of COVID-19 measures. She said she will be speaking at an event in Ottawa on the weekend when the truck drivers arrive.
Durham police Constable George Tudos told CTV News Toronto on Monday the video does not depict the views of the police force.
“We were made aware of a video that’s circulating on social media depicting one of our officers,” Tudos said.
Tudos said Durham police’s code of conduct restricts the use of police property and influence to only official duties, and that doesn’t include making private political statements.
Durham Regional Police Constable Erin Howard is shown in this still image taken from a social media video.
It’s not necessarily the content of Howard’s video that could be a violation of the rules, Tudos said, but the fact it was recorded while she was in uniform.
CTV News Toronto attempted to contact Howard but did not receive a response.
Most of Canada’s 160,000 truck drivers are vaccinated, but an estimated 12,000 are not. The drivers in the convoy argue that the vaccine mandate could disrupt the food supply chain.
The Canadian Trucking Alliance is distancing themselves from the protest, saying the industry must adapt because the rules won’t change.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Montreal man on the hook for thousands of dollars after a feature on his Tesla caused an accident
A Montreal man is warning Tesla drivers about using the Smart Summon feature after his vehicle hit another in a parking lot.
Denial and uncertainty are looming over a Biden-Trump rematch 6 months out from U.S. Election Day
Exactly six months before Election Day, Biden and Trump are locked in the first contest in 112 years with a current and former president competing for the White House. It's a race that is at once deeply entrenched and highly in flux as many voters are only just beginning to embrace the reality of the 2024 campaign.
Israel closes Gaza crossing after Hamas attack and vows military operation 'in the very near future'
Israel closed its main crossing point for delivering badly needed humanitarian aid for Gaza on Sunday after Hamas militants attacked it, reportedly wounding several Israelis, while the defense minister warned of "a powerful operation in the very near future in Rafah and other places across all of Gaza."
opinion You don't need to be an influencer to earn income from social media
How legitimate are claims by some content creators that the average person can earn passive income from social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram? Personal finance columnist Christopher Liew says it's quite possible, if you're willing to put in the initial time and effort.
‘Love has no boundaries’: Sask. couple in their 90s and 80s get married
Eighty-two-year-old Susan Neufeldt and 90-year-old Ulrich Richter are no spring chickens, but their love blossomed over the weekend with their wedding at Pine View Manor just outside of Rosthern.
What a judge's gag order on Trump means in his hush money case
A gag order bars Trump from commenting publicly on witnesses, jurors and some others connected to the matter. The New York judge already has found that Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee for president, repeatedly violated the order, fined him US$9,000 and warning that jail could follow if he doesn't comply.
Madonna's biggest-ever concert transforms Rio's Copacabana beach into a massive dance floor
Madonna put on a free concert on Copacabana beach Saturday night, turning Rio de Janeiro's vast stretch of sand into an enormous dance floor teeming with a multitude of her fans.
Should you save or splurge on makeup this summer?
If you're wondering whether you should splurge or save when it comes to buying skincare products and makeup this summer, we got some answers for you.
Chemical spill could be cause of stinky water in Puslinch, Ont., new report says
People living in Puslinch, Ont. may have the answer to why their water smelled so bad last year.