Preserving the People's History

Daily posts will resume Monday, Sept. 12th. (I'm currently organizing this book-in-progress.)

This blog is a book-in-progress. You, dear reader, have been peering over my shoulder, witnessing my research process.

For months now, you’ve seen me examine video footage recorded around the time the Freedom Convoy took place. You’ve read the result of interviews I’ve conducted with participants. You’ve read my reports of interviews conducted by others.

You’ve also seen me document the cards and letters the truckers received - an endless stream of gratitude and encouragement. The people’s history is being preserved via this process. Like a museum archivist, I’m locating and highlighting evidence and artifacts that might otherwise be lost.

Various themes have emerged. Immigrants are a huge part of this story. So are francophones. Staggering financial support. Mountains of in-kind donations. Cheerful, stubborn defiance. Hope and despair.

There’s also the spiritual side. Ottawa was a different spiritual plane, one I personally don’t expect to witness/experience ever again. Humanity at its finest. People pitching in, finding ways to contribute. Wholly organic. Wholly real.

This Freedom Convoy book will be about ordinary people - the truckers and their supporters. The regular folk who changed history.

I’m taking a break from daily posts in order to do some organizing, and to fill in some blanks. Daily posts will resume Monday, Sept. 12th.