Transport Canada investigating whether Freedom Convoy supporters aboard flight were screened for vaccination

Transport Canada is looking into a chartered flight that brought supporters of the so-called Freedom Convoy from Western Canada to Ottawa last month, to ensure passengers were properly screened for COVID-19 vaccination.

According to one of the passengers on the flight, some of those aboard were not vaccinated, an apparent violation of the federal government mandate requiring most air and rail passengers to produce proof of vaccination before travel. 

“Transport Canada has been made aware of the incident and is following up with the air operator to ensure compliance,” Transport Canada spokesperson Sau Sau Liu said in an email. 

At a bail hearing for protest organizer Tamara Lich last month, her husband Dwayne testified that he arrived in Ottawa on Feb. 2 aboard a “private jet,” with the expense covered by a benefactor he identified only as “Joseph.”  

In fact, the aircraft they travelled on was far less grand – a twin-engine turbo-prop with limited range that had to make multiple stops on the way to Ottawa.