Commuters in the Montreal area faced a challenging Monday morning as truck drivers associated with the “Enough is Enough” movement staged a demonstration, causing disruptions to rush hour traffic in several Quebec cities. The protesters, who gathered early in the morning, were expressing concerns about the presence of truck operators without proper permits, citing risks to road safety.
Demanding stricter enforcement of transportation regulations, the demonstrators focused on the issue of ‘illegal truckers.’ Chris Monette from Teamsters Canada emphasized the long-standing issues within the trucking industry, attributing the crisis to the government’s failure to enforce regulations effectively. The “Enough is Enough” truckers had planned demonstrations in Montreal, Quebec City, and Trois-Rivières, with the Gatineau event being canceled.
While distancing himself from the protest, Monette highlighted complaints related to Driver Inc, referring to it as a tax and employee misclassification scheme that allows employers to evade taxes and contributions to government programs like QPP and EI. He pointed out that vulnerable workers, often immigrants with limited language skills, are exploited through this system, leading to compromised road safety and regulatory violations.
The truckers aimed to slow down traffic without bringing it to a halt, emphasizing their commitment to using the right lane and obeying speed limits. They underscored the urgent need for reform in light of increasing truck-related accidents.
Labour lawyer Marc Boudreau echoed the movement’s concerns about unqualified truck drivers from Ontario posing risks on Quebec roads. He emphasized the importance of government intervention to address the safety issues raised by legitimate truck drivers.
With mounting pressure on both Quebec and Ontario governments for action, stakeholders are calling for improved oversight and quality control measures to ensure road safety in the trucking industry.
