Inuit students, Nunavut MP avoid downtown Ottawa amid ongoing convoy protest

For much of last week, Kim Pilgrim has avoided going out.

Pilgrim, who is originally from Nunatsiavut and now in her first year at Nunavut Sivuniksavut, an Inuit studies program in Ottawa, said the ongoing trucker convoy protest has her questioning her safety out in public.

"I've been staying home because it is pretty scary," she said.

The protest, which has rolled into its second week, has been disrupting the lives of people who live, work and study in the downtown area.

There have been people honking throughout her neighbourhood too, Pilgrim said. Sandy Hill, which sits just outside of the downtown core, is where where some protesters have parked their trucks. 

"We've heard a lot of horror stories," said Pilgrim. "Our school and instructors and friends and social media have all been warning us to stay inside and not to engage with that."

Pilgrim said some of those stories include people using racial slurs and people being assaulted, having their masks removed or being denied entry to public parks and public streets.

So far, Pilgrim said she has not been directly harassed by anyone. But she feels the tone of this protest compared to previous smaller-sized COVID-19-related protests is more aggressive.

"These people, from what I've seen, have been trying to aggravate people and trying to get a response with what they've been saying and doing," Pilgrim said.

"The vibe is definitely not good downtown right now. A lot of people I've seen just from being in my neighborhood [have been] trying to avoid the downtown core. People have been staying in and being a bit fearful."

Pilgrim isn't the only student who has noticed this.

Shelby Angalik is from Arviat, Nunavut, and  is also a first year student at Nunavut Sivuniksavut. 

"I feel like it's more racially driven now," she said. "It doesn't seem like it's really focused on masks anymore. It just feels like it's a way for people to express whatever feelings they have toward racism or how people are treated."

Angalik said she also is worried from a health standpoint, as she said she has witnessed people encouraging others to stop wearing masks. She's even postponed her grocery shopping due to fears of harassment by protesters downtown, where she lives. She said that so far, she hasn't been harassed, but it is a worry.