'I don't know him anymore': Canadians losing family and friends over trucker protests

While trucker convoy demonstrations across several Canadian cities are being cleared out, tensions between family and friends remain. Several Canadians wrote to CTVNews.ca about differences of opinion that have left family members divided and friendships strained, with some ultimately deciding to cut ties with loved ones as a result.

A resident of Ottawa, Earle saw her apartment building broken into by some of the demonstrators who formed part of the trucker convoy, many of whom came in to throw out their trash or use laundry machines to wash their clothes. Travelling anywhere in the city alone felt unsafe, Earle said, as she recalled protesters circling her neighbourhood on their trucks, blaring their horns, revving their engines and taunting people as they walked by.

Conditions became so unbearable that Earle ended up relocating just one week into the protest.

But what made matters worse was knowing a life-long friend supported a cause that was bringing harm to her and her community.

“It was happening in real-time and I was telling him about it,” she told CTVNews.ca during a phone interview on Wednesday. “I could not believe that he was planting roots in a movement that was terrorizing me.