Winnipeg convoy protest 'relatively unchanged' after some organizers leave

The protest that has occupied parts of downtown Winnipeg streets for more than a week remains largely unchanged despite the departure of some of the leadership team, say those who remain.

About six out of nine members of the core organizing committee have moved on to "other projects" after Premier Heather Stefanson's announcement Friday that restrictions will come to an end on March 15, organizer Caleb Brown said.

"At this point, our footprint isn't changing," said Brown. He and trucker Rick Wall have been the two most public-facing organizers.

"No equipment or trailers have left at this point, and I don't believe there's plans to, so it's going to be relatively unchanged. I guess the difference being the people who are remaining are very committed to staying."

The protest site at Memorial Boulevard and Broadway initially formed in response to the federal government's imposition of a vaccination mandate for truckers crossing into the United States but drew in a wide array of groups disaffected by COVID-19 health restrictions.

In a letter released on Monday, some departing protesters said "the Manitoba Legislature is no longer the most appropriate location for our advocacy." Many of them have already gone home.

But the letter does say some plan to stay.

"Those whose livelihoods have been impacted by federal travel mandates still have no jobs to return to and their voices need to be heard," the letter says.

"At this point, a number of long-distance haulers are planning to remain on site at the Manitoba Legislative Building while further reducing disruptions to residents in the area, and organization of that protest will shift to a new team."

The letter does not mention how many people intend to remain on site, what impact that will have on the scale of the protest site, or who the new leaders are.

John Dyck, the owner-operator of a small trucking company based in Winkler, Man., plans to stay. 

The province's recently announced timeline for lifting restrictions is a good step, but it's not enough, he said.

"We don't want to be here. We want to go back to work and earn some money and put food on the table again, so if she [Stefanson] wants us out of here, we're happy to leave, but she needs to go to bat for us in Ottawa and get those federal mandates lifted," Dyck said.

After Stefanson's announcement on Friday, Brown told CBC News the site would be scaled back, but did not provide any further details.

On Monday, Brown said the protesters would remain until the federal government removed its vaccination mandates. He also said they want some form of assurance that they won't be reimposed.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Monday invoked the Emergencies Act, a law that replaced the War Measures Act in the 1980s and gives sweeping powers to the federal government to establish order during a crisis.

Brown called the move "surprising."

"I don't know that that's necessary. He would simply have to reach out and have a conversation with some people. He's the leader of our country and he refuses to have a conversation."

People who live near the legislature have said the constant honking and traffic delays have been disruptive and frustrating. There have also been reports of protest organizers setting off fireworks.

Winnipeg police have not said whether they have issued any tickets in connection with the protest.

An anti-vaccination mandate blockade at the Canada-U.S. border at Emerson is now in its fifth day.