The Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO) has confirmed to Global News that thirteen families with children undergoing chemotherapy had their appointments either postponed or rescheduled as a direct result of the alleged “Freedom Convoy” rallies in Ottawa.
For three weeks in late January and early February of this year, the demonstrations blocked the streets of downtown Ottawa, making certain residential areas and major thoroughfares in the centre of the city impassable.
According to a statement given to Global News by CHEO, “we had 13 families whose trip to CHEO for cancer therapy at our Medical Day Unit was greatly impacted by the caravan that filled downtown Ottawa last winter.”
Their care had to be postponed or delayed, respectively.
The spokeswoman claimed that although CHEO “made sure” the families were aware that CHEO was there “to give them care,” the protests made an already challenging situation much worse.
The spokesperson said, “This circumstance added needless stress on top of what is already such a stressful situation for children and their families as they strive to overcome extremely serious diseases and whose therapies are vital for their best outcomes.”
The children’s hospital said they “thankfully” did not have to cancel any surgeries during the demonstrations, but families were also forced to take extra measures “including staying at a hotel to ensure they could be here on time,” they said.
Convoy protests completely blocked some streets in downtown Ottawa with trucks, cars, and other equipment, including a bounce house and a hot tub.
Police erected a “safe zone” area near Parliament Hill where only local traffic could pass through in an effort to prevent more automobiles from obstructing Ottawa’s highways. Residents were forced to show police officers proof that they lived or worked in the area, sometimes multiple times in a single journey, just to get home — assuming the streets surrounding their destination were accessible at all.
An official investigation investigating the government’s use of the Emergencies Act heard throughout the last week that locals claimed harassment when they left their houses, fireworks pinging off residential buildings’ windows, and trucks honking their horns at all hours.
The federal government’s use of the Emergencies Act in reaction to the protest is currently the subject of an investigation by the Public Order Emergency Commission.
The public has heard first-hand descriptions of the protests from persons who lived nearby and participated in the convoy protest in a series of hearings that started last week and will go on for another month.
Jim Watson, the mayor of Ottawa, and Mathieu Fleury, a municipal councillor for Ottawa, both testified in front of the panel about how people in their city had to cancel medical appointments because of the convoy demonstrations.
The city’s accessible buses were unable to pick up citizens at their homes, according to Fleury, who gave a testimony before the commission on Friday. This was due to trucks blocking the streets. Some Ottawans with mobility challenges were unable to attend their doctor’s appointments as a result.
Because the bus couldn’t get there and they weren’t mobile, he said, “We have communications with folks who couldn’t get to their cancer treatment.”
Similar worries were expressed by the mayor of Ottawa during his Tuesday testimony.
Watson informed the commission that “a handful of children had to miss chemo and radiation treatments at CHEO.”
“The citizens who live on those streets have to put up with these horns actually honking around the clock, seven days a week, in addition to diesel fumes, roasting a pig on one street, bonfires, fireworks, and dance parties. It was displaying the utmost disdain for the citizens of Ottawa.
As of 2021, more than 11,000 people were estimated to be residing in downtown Ottawa.
The hearings are expected to run for six weeks, with testimony from 65 witnesses representing all levels of government, various police agencies, as well as organizers of the convoy..
“Freedom Convoy” forced 13 families to reschedule and delay their children’s chemotherapy: CHEO
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