Eganville – In a passionate and sometimes emotional four-minute video, recorded from the cab of his Western Star truck Monday, Bonnechere Valley Councillor Tim Schison shared his feelings on the Trucker Convoy that arrived in Ottawa last Friday and Saturday, starting off saying he had never seen so much love and support for something as he had in the last week leading into Saturday.

“For the first time in two years I’ve seen hundreds of thousands of people firsthand finally not scared of each other,” he said. “There are a lot of drivers that could only come a little piece in this road to freedom. They could only stay for a day. Some of them could only come a few miles. Some of them are going to be in until the end.”

Mr. Schison said many truckers still have everyday jobs they need to carry on with but said that didn’t mean they were abandoning the situation.

“There are some guys downtown, like myself, I come out last night, but there are still a lot of people lined up, a lot of trucks lined up, ready to go back in.”

He said the truckers were not holding the city hostage, but rather they were trying to promote the positivity, the greatness that all these Canadians have come to fall in love with …” in this massive, massive movement.

“So, all I can say is, the outrage, the support from all over the world is amazing. But nothing is more heart moving than having a coddler (toddler) come up and say thank you,” he said. “A lot of guys are still holding the line and I know a lot of other drivers have reached out to me saying we want to go back and, if there is no change we are coming back. Because, not all of us are leaving. And we are not giving up.”

Mr. Schison said some truckers have families and children of their own to feed and can’t stay in Ottawa.

“We talked to drivers from throughout the whole area yesterday, the day before. Some of them are there for the week;  Some of them are there for two weeks. Some are there for as long as it takes.”

Mr. Schison said there are enough truckers who have come together now to allow them to relieve one another of time spent.

“We’re able to keep going here,” he said. “We’re able to do this until it’s done. Just because you see a truck coming out of Ottawa today, doesn’t mean we are giving up on the situation. They’ll be back.

“And the best thing I can say for any of the fellow Canadians that want to support this: just keep the messages going. You know … I haven’t been able to explain the love, the feeling that I’ve gotten from so many for the last few days. It’s overwhelming guys.

“And that’s what’s going to keep these guys there … standing up for your freedom. And they keep coming back. Reach out. Reach out to the guys and the girls that are up here on the frontlines doing this.

“We’ll get through this.”