Truck drivers talk politics as Canada rolls toward election

Some truck drivers in eastern Ontario are worried about the road ahead with cost of living and affordability top of mind as Canada rolls toward election day. 

CBC spent the day chatting with truck drivers as they fuelled up their rigs at a truck stop just off Highway 401 in Cardinal, Ont.

Robbie Singh has worked as a cashier at the Cardinal Travel Centre for the past three years, spending his time making fresh coffee, operating the scales and restocking shelves with all the snacks and energy drinks needed for long hours on the road.

He said when drivers come into the shop they often want to chat and sometimes the conversations shift to politics. 

"They just talk about what the problem is.... I don't think people care about the party. They care about the problems," Singh said.

The problems

For driver Barry Portieous, the problem is the high cost of living.

The 67-year-old from Cornwall, Ont., has been driving a truck for the past 40 years and said he's been trying to retire for the past two years.

"I've been out here, don't live in a big fancy house, don't have any fancy vehicles, and at the end of the week it's like where's it go?" he said, referring to his paycheck.

Ziggy Oleszczuk is also thinking about cost of living and affordability as his gas tank guzzles down nearly $1,000 worth of fuel.

Oleszczuk owns his truck, so he pays close attention to the price of gas.

"It's not only fuel prices, service for the truck is very expensive," he said. "I mean very expensive."

Oleszczuk explained he's only let one mechanic service his truck for the past 25 years, but labour costs have more than doubled during that time.

He too is planning to retire in the next few years but said if his truck needs a major repair before then, he'll just drive for a company to finish out his career.

"I'm very happy with this truck, but I'm not going to do it again," he said.

Both Portieous and Oleszczuk said they plan to vote for Pierre Poilievre and the Conservatives because they view a change in government as the best move for Canada and the economy.

Canada-U.S. relationship

Canada's relationship with the United States is the key issue for driver Surafel Demessie, who stopped to fuel up on his way to Pennsylvania with a load of zinc.

He plans to vote Liberal because he believes Mark Carney is best suited to handle Canada's fractured relationship with its neighbour to the south.

"I don't negotiate with my being Canadian, because we are sovereign," he said. "[With] these kind of situations, no, hell no — over our dead body."

Driver Paul Hiemstra is travelling in the other direction and said he is in favour of U.S. President Donald Trump's call to make Canada the 51st state.

"Two months of Trump has not put our country in the problem that we're in right now. It's the last 10 years of the Liberal government and what they've chose to do," he said.

Hiemstra has also been driving a truck for 41 years and said cost of living is a problem.

"Our grocery bill is just astronomical. I live on the road. I can't even afford to buy a meal in the restaurant," he said, adding he tries to bring food in a cooler to save money on the road.

Hiemstra is conservative in his views but isn't sure any political party is on the right track. He said none of the federal parties put real people first.

"I think if everybody changes their opinion and looks for what's best for everybody instead of the dollar being the almighty end to everything," he said.

Pavi Suthagar is just starting his career as a truck driver and said housing is his biggest concern.

"I live in a house with my parents. I'm trying to get my own house, but even that, it's like such a struggle just to start it up," he said.

The 27-year-old said he's undecided on which party will get his vote, but he still has a few more days to decide.

Canadians will head to the polls on Monday.