Sign this petition to compel our elected officials and law enforcement authorities to protect our communities and stop the occupation of Winnipeg by the "Manitoba Convoy to Freedom" planned for Friday, February 4th.

Dear Premier Stefanson, the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba, the Manitoba RCMP, Mayor Brian Bowman, the Winnipeg City Council, Chief Danny Smith, and the Winnipeg Police Service, 

Canadians from coast to coast to coast are watching in horror as a minority group of dangerous individuals have flown swastikas and confederate flags through our Nation's capital. They have dishonoured and desecrated the memory of our fallen soldiers, and they have terrorized the city's most vulnerable for nearly a week. We have seen the citizens of Ottawa repeatedly victimized with verbal and physical assaults, threats of violence, harassment, property destruction, and economic disruptions.

Thousands of people have been denied the ability to go to work to earn the income their families need to survive, school children have been kept home for their own safety, and businesses across the city have been forced to shut down and are now suffering greatly because of this occupation.

The economic impact of the situation in Ottawa and at the Coutts Alberta border crossing are devastating for the local and national economy. The occupation in Ottawa is costing the city one million dollars a day just for policing. Every day, Ottawa looses millions of dollars of economic activity because of the "freedom convoy". The city of Winnipeg and the province of Manitoba cannot afford to allow this to happen to our home.

The most marginalized citizens of Ottawa have been the main targets of these behaviours; women are being threatened with sexual violence, people experiencing homelessness are being physically assaulted, members of the 2SLGBTQ+ community have had their property targeted and vandalized, and healthcare workers being harassed and attacked in the streets.

As Winnipeggers, Manitobans, and Canadians, we celebrate the freedoms our democracy affords us, and we understand the responsibility that comes with those freedoms. The right to demonstrate and the freedom of expression are cornerstones of our democracy. But flying confederate flags, expressing hatred, threatening, harassing, and violent behaviour, damaging private and public property, holding local economies and citizens hostage, and interfering with critical infrastructure like roads, highways, border crossings, etc. are not. 

The "freedom convoy" protest in Winnipeg for is planned for Friday, February 4th at 9AM at the Manitoba Legislature grounds. They have stated that their intentions are to occupy our city and cause the chaos similar to what we are witnessing in Ottawa. Their demands are that every single public health measure from every level of government is scrapped and they aim to undermine our democracy by overthrowing democratically elected governments. These are not reasonable or safe demands. 

The Legislature is located in the core of our city, which is where many of Winnipeg's most vulnerable citizens live their lives. This "protest" must not be allowed to invade and occupy our city. 

The use of vehicles to blockade roads in Ottawa and at the Coutts - Montana border crossing in Alberta has created a dangerous and difficult situation which has embarrassed elected officials and local law enforcement officers. We are asking you to not allow this to happen in Winnipeg. If it means closing roads on which the "convoy" intends to park, putting temporary "no parking zones" around the Manitoba Legislative grounds, and/ or enforcing already existing legislative tools to protect our city, you must. 

For nearly two years in this pandemic Manitobans have stood up to protect each other by following public health measures and getting vaccinated. Nearly 90% of Manitobans are vaccinated, with more and more people rolling up their sleeves every day. A recent a Abacus Data poll shows that nearly 70% of Canadians reported they have "very little in common with how (the "freedom convoy") sees things". I worry that if this convoy is allowed to entrench themselves in our provincial capital, Winnipeggers and Manitobans will take matters into their own hands by organizing counter-protests and confronting protestors, as we are now seeing in Ottawa. This is puts civilians in danger. We need you to now stand up for us as we have always stood up for our neighbours. 

Please protect our city and our province and do not allow the "freedom convoy" to occupy the area surrounding the Legislative buildings. They do not represent Manitobans, they do not speak for Manitobans. I hope that this letter and petition will prove to you as much.