星空传媒

Canada

    • Honking, fumes and anger: Mental toll from trucker protest lingers for Ottawa residents

    A protester waves a Canadian flag in front of parked vehicles on Rideau Street on the 15th day of a protest against COVID-19 measures that has grown into a broader anti-government protest, in Ottawa, Friday, Feb. 11, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang A protester waves a Canadian flag in front of parked vehicles on Rideau Street on the 15th day of a protest against COVID-19 measures that has grown into a broader anti-government protest, in Ottawa, Friday, Feb. 11, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang
    Share

    Paulina Ramphos was having an especially difficult day. The trucks may be gone from Ottawa, the noises subsided, and the fumes dissipated, but the anxiety and fear built up from the three weeks of protests persists.

    鈥淓ven though there's nothing going on, it鈥檚 kind of like a constant state of panic,鈥 Ramphos told CTVNews.ca in a phone interview. She has had generalized anxiety and depression for years and has had plenty of experience with coping mechanisms, but this, she said, was 鈥渓ike a whole new ballgame.鈥

    It is waking up in the middle of the night in a panic, zoning out at the sound of sirens and honking, rage at the sight of a truck with a flag, and fear that it will happen again. And she is far from alone.

    CTVNews.ca spoke with more than half a dozen residents who live at the centre of where the protests took place and shared very similar experiences on the lingering mental health effects from the Freedom Convoy鈥檚 occupation of their streets and neighbourhood.

    Many are longtime residents used to seeing protests in a busy part of the nation鈥檚 capital. They expressed their support for the right to peaceful demonstration, but said there was nothing peaceful about seeing the symbols of hate, the constant deafening noise of horns, or being yelled or lunged at just for walking down the street wearing a face mask, and they expressed frustration at those dismissive of their experience and the after-effects.

    Craig Shackleton has lived in the city鈥檚 centre for years and was used to the 24/7 hum of the city. But since the protests, those sounds are no longer innocuous background noise. They bother him and keep him up at night. He has difficulty sleeping, he worries the protesters will return, and once in a while will hear 鈥減hantom noises鈥 鈥 the ghostly echo of sounds from the protest. Even the rumble of a snow plow now keeps him awake as he instinctively wonders, 鈥淚s it them?鈥

    鈥淚 do still worry and have strong reactions to things when I go out. A lot of the vehicles that were problems for us were pick-up trucks, and I worry when I see one now, even though they are pretty common,鈥 Shackleton told CTVNews.ca.

    鈥淢y immediate reaction when I see a Canadian flag, especially on a vehicle or carried by a person, is that I am about to be harassed or get into a confrontation. It's disconcerting, especially since we just had the Olympics when I would expect to see lots of flags around. I don't want to feel dread at seeing a Canada flag, but I do.鈥

    鈥楥LEARLY SOME KIND OF TRAUMA鈥

    Joel Harden, the NDP MPP for Ottawa Centre, told CTVNews.ca he spoke to a number of experts about the impact of the protests on local residents and described it as a form of post-traumatic stress.

    鈥淭his is clearly some kind of trauma,鈥 said Harden. The convoy was deliberately attempting to traumatize, intimidate, and harass downtown residents, he said.

    鈥淚've talked to parents of kids where鈥 kids on the way to school see a car coming down the street with a Canada flag on and spin around and they want to run in the other direction鈥.That鈥檚 what the stress and anxiety was like for kids in our city.鈥

    Caitlin Hung says her young son was confused and could not understand the aggression he witnessed.

    鈥淲e saw people getting threatened, like, 鈥榃hy are you wearing a mask? Take it off, take off the diaper.鈥 People being yelled at. It was pretty aggressive,鈥 she said.

    鈥淚t was a lot for him to see people behaving like that.鈥

    Natash McBrearty, the Associate Executive Director with Crossroads Children鈥檚 Mental Health Centre says trauma is not just about what happened, but also about a person鈥檚 reaction to the event.

    鈥淔or someone who is already chronically stressed (for example, has been living through a pandemic) their senses might already be heightened and as a result, they may be more easily overwhelmed,鈥 McBrearty, a registered psychotherapist and certified counsellor, told CTVNews.ca via email.

    She says a person鈥檚 nervous system becomes overwhelmed and remains 鈥渟tuck鈥 in an 鈥渙n鈥 or 鈥渙ff鈥 position. 鈥淥n鈥 can come in many forms, including feeling panicked, always on edge, or being flooded with sensation by a particular smell or sound. 鈥淥ff鈥 is associated with detachment, disconnection, and exhaustion.

    鈥淚n some cases, the symptoms can be physical ailments like headaches, tension, chronic pain. Bottom line, if you鈥檙e not feeling yourself, don鈥檛 wait 鈥 reach out for help.鈥

    THE CANADA FLAG AND SYMBOLS OF HATE

    The red and white maple leaf flag, once a friendly symbol of pride, had already become complicated for many Canadians amid the findings of hundreds of potential unmarked residential school graves. But now, it has also become to the protests.

    Ramphos said the sight of the Canada flag that has always flown outside her local police station is now distressing.

    鈥淲hich is upsetting in and of itself. It鈥檚 like you鈥檙e robbing me of my appreciation for the flag of my country now,鈥 she said.

    鈥淓ven hearing the anthem also 鈥 the amount of times that they just used that in such an infuriating way鈥ypically when I hear the anthem, I'm either at a hockey game or watching the Olympics or something like that. And it's a moment of pride. But now it's not.鈥

    For Emily Fielden, it is also associated with hate now.

    鈥淢y stress with the sight of the Canada flag wasn't just because of its presence in the ongoing lawlessness in our area, but also because it was often seen alongside hate symbols or flags typically seen at far-right rallies,鈥 said Fielden, who could see the protest, late-night revelry, and hear the sounds directly from her home.

    She saw first hand, symbols used by , a far-right, anti-immigration group out of Quebec, including the Patriote flag and "wolf pack" decals, as well as the Three Percenters, a far-right militia, and the flag of the Diagalon white nationalist group, she said.

    It was not true that only 鈥渙ne or two鈥 symbols of hate and violence could be seen, 鈥渋n reality there were many,鈥 Fielden said. Even the word 鈥渇reedom鈥 can be jarring now.

    鈥淸Freedom] was yelled in my face several times when I had to run errands,鈥 she said. 鈥淚 do find I get tense or hyper-alert, stressed when I encounter [these triggers].鈥

    LIKE A LAWNMOWER IN THE LIVING ROOM

    Some residents had to contend with noise levels that reached upwards of 100 decibels inside their homes 鈥 sounds that at times blared into the early hours of the morning. Paul Champ, the lawyer representing the resident who launched the class action lawsuit against the convoy, , told CTV News Channel last month that level of noise was 鈥渂asically like having a lawn mower running in your living room all day.鈥

    Inside Fielden鈥檚 home, the horns were consistently hitting about 70 to 75 decibels for as long as 15 hours a day, she said.

    Patricia McCarthy lives a block away from where many of the trucks were parked, and likened the 15 hours of deafening noise to terrorist tactics.

    鈥淭hat goes beyond noise pollution鈥 [It鈥檚 like] terrorist tactics of when they have hostages, they bombard them with noise non-stop just to wear them down,鈥 said told CTVNews.ca. While the noise has finally stopped, she is immediately on her guard when she sees and hears certain sights and sounds.

    鈥淚 was out walking with a friend and the minute we saw a large rig 鈥 we would tense up. If you heard a horn you would tense up.鈥

    FEAR THAT IT鈥橲 NOT OVER

    Even after the protests were 鈥渙ver,鈥 there were still people 鈥渟houting about freedom鈥 outside McCarthy鈥檚 building, making it difficult to believe things are truly at an end, she said.

    Hung and her family live on one of the former truck-lined streets and said even a trip to the grocery store felt dangerous.

    鈥淚f you've ever had somebody bully you, where they're like, I'm not going to punch you, you might just hit yourself by walking into me, it kind of felt like that,鈥 Hung said, who along with her son, witnessed a protester lunging at some elderly individuals wearing masks without hitting them.

    鈥淚t just felt like the constant threat of violence was always in the air.鈥

    Now, her family wonders if the protesters are back every time they hear the blare of a horn.

    鈥淗onking definitely has become synonymous in my mind with them鈥...Immediately, my son asks, 鈥楢re they back?鈥 Anytime I see somebody not wearing a mask when they鈥檙e out, I wonder, 鈥楢re they with them?鈥"

    While some of the residents say things are slowly getting better, others also describe feeling 鈥済aslit鈥 about the magnitude of the protests and the toll it took on their mental health during and after 鈥 experiences that are not easily forgotten, they say.

    鈥淚 would really like the public or the world to know that people are still suffering over this,鈥 said Ramphos.

    鈥淪ome people will still say, 鈥極h, they were mostly peaceful, and it wasn't that bad.鈥 Well, that's not true for someone who lived in it.鈥

    If you or someone you know would like to talk to someone, Ottawa鈥檚 offers free phone or video counselling in English, French and Arabic. 

    CTVNews.ca 星空传媒

    Police have arrested an 18-year-old woman who allegedly stole a Porsche and then ran over its owner in an incident that was captured on video.

    Since she was a young girl growing up in Vancouver, Ginny Lam says her mom Yat Hei Law made it very clear she favoured her son William, because he was her male heir.

    Advocates have identified the woman who died this week after being shot by police in Surrey, B.C., as a South American refugee who was raising a young daughter.

    Three men were injured after trying to subdue a man armed with a knife during afternoon prayers at a Montreal-area mosque Friday afternoon.

    A 15-year-old boy who was the subject of an emergency alert in New Brunswick has been arrested.

    The search for a missing six-year-old boy in Shamattawa is continuing Friday as RCMP hope recent tips can help lead to a happy conclusion.

    Provincial police investigating the death of a cat that was allegedly set on fire in Orillia earlier this week released surveillance video of a person of interest in the case.

    • The RCMP is seeking the dismissal of three officers who have been suspended from the Coquitlam detachment since June 2021 over allegations of racist, sexist and homophobic comments made in a group chat.

    • Advocates have identified the woman who died this week after being shot by police in Surrey, B.C., as a South American refugee who was raising a young daughter.

    • When the federal government announced all open net fish farms on the British Columbia coast need to be out of the water by 2029, it also promised to produce a draft transition plan by the end of July. It missed that target by seven weeks.

    • Police have arrested an 18-year-old woman who allegedly stole a Porsche and then ran over its owner in an incident that was captured on video.

    • The parents of a teenager who died after allegedly consuming the poisonous products of a Mississauga man are now suing him, as well as several doctors involved in her care.

    • One person was rushed to the hospital with life-threatening injuries after a multi-vehicle collision in Milton, Ont. on Friday night.

    • The man charged with fatally stabbing lifelong Banff resident Ethan Enns-Goneau in 2022 has been convicted of second-degree murder.

    • Environment Canada issued a frost advisory for Calgary late Friday afternoon.

    • It was the last show for longtime children's TV star Ron (Buck Shot) Barge Friday as hundreds of family, friends and fans attended a public memorial in Calgary.

    • Agreement in principle has been reached to build a new NHL arena at LeBreton Flats has been reached between the Ottawa Senators and the National Capital Commission (NCC), the two sides announced Friday.

    • For years, the commute to Ottawa's west end was one of the biggest complaints for attending fans. But those who live in Kanata and in the immediate LeBreton area say the move would be a big change their respective neighbourhoods.

    • Ottawa police are investigating a shooting downtown Friday afternoon.

    • Three men were injured after trying to subdue a man armed with a knife during afternoon prayers at a Montreal-area mosque Friday afternoon.

    • When Bernard Morissette got a call from Loto-Quebec on Sept. 18 and was asked if he was sitting down, he had no idea what was coming his way.

    • A man who asserted his right to work in French has won his case before the Tribunal, invoking the new provisions of the province's French-language law (Bill 96) to that effect.

    • The Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge announced Friday it is now accepting reservations from guests for accommodations beginning Oct. 1.

    • Two Edmonton Police Service officers have been criminally charged in connection with an assault.

    • There's a friendship in the Edmonton Oilers crease between Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard.

    • A 15-year-old boy who was the subject of an emergency alert in New Brunswick has been arrested.

    • Halifax Regional Police warned the public of a series of high-value thefts targeting retail stores Friday.

    • Air travel is back in full swing at the Halifax Stanfield International Airport.

    • The search for a missing six-year-old boy in Shamattawa is continuing Friday as RCMP hope recent tips can help lead to a happy conclusion.

    • A plane approaches the grass runway at Harv鈥檚 Air School south of Steinbach. Nothing is getting in the way of a clear, smooth landing, but owner Harv Penner worries, that could soon change.

    • The University of Manitoba's College of Dentistry is dealing with some unexpected consequences from the federal government's new Canadian Dental Care Plan

    • Cole Haas is more than just an avid fan of the F.W. Johnson Wildcats football team. He's a fixture on the sidelines, a source of encouragement, and a beloved member of the team.

    • Regina police are responding to a collision involving a motorcycle on Friday evening.

    • Five Regina schools were placed into lockdown or secure the building mode following a report of a weapons investigation at Miller High School on Friday.

    • Protests were held in front of Kitchener City Hall on Friday, both for and against LGBTQ2S+ inclusive education and queer rights in schools.

    • The provincial government is considering new rules to restrict a municipality鈥檚 ability to install new bike lanes if it means traffic lanes would be removed.

    • A new scam is being reported in communities across the country.

    • Hospital beds in hallways, supply shortages in the neonatal intensive care unit, and operating rooms being put on hold are some of the concerns nurses are voicing, according to the Saskatchewan Union of Nurses (SUN).

    • The Saskatchewan RCMP major crimes unit is investigating after a 29-year-old man died in hospital.

    • A garage fire in Saskatoon鈥檚 Willows neighbourhood on Friday narrowly missed igniting an attached home, according to the fire department.

    • Emergency crews in northern Ontario found the bodies of four people inside a home where a fire broke out Thursday night.

    • Police have arrested an 18-year-old woman who allegedly stole a Porsche and then ran over its owner in an incident that was captured on video.

    • A Brampton driver, 27, was charged this week when northern Ontario police stopped the SUV he was driving on Highway 17 after a reported shooting and found more than $100,000 in cash.

    • A man is in hospital with life threatening injuries following a collision between a motorcycle and a vehicle on Friday afternoon.

    • NEW

      NEW

      Under intense cross-examination from Crown Attorney Jennifer Moser, the embattled former Mayor of Woodstock stuck to his story denying that he ever did anything inappropriate to his female accuser.

    • Two men from Barrie have been charged after a deadly shooting at a park in Keswick on Wednesday.

    • Provincial police investigating the death of a cat that was allegedly set on fire in Orillia earlier this week released surveillance video of a person of interest in the case.

    • A jury has found a Barrie man guilty of second-degree murder for the stabbing death of a man at a Banff bar two years ago.

    • The Special Investigations Unit (SIU) is searching for the occupants of a vehicle caught on security cameras during a fatal police-involved shooting on Goyeau Street.

    • Windsor police say a 25-year-old mother has been charged with the drowning death of her 5-year-old child in the family鈥檚 backyard pool.

    • The federal government is investing $18.4 million dollars into the region.

    • A home has been transformed for the benefit of a B.C. neighbourhood, by a man who was transformed by the caring of his community.

    • When the federal government announced all open net fish farms on the British Columbia coast need to be out of the water by 2029, it also promised to produce a draft transition plan by the end of July. It missed that target by seven weeks.

    • New Democrat Leader David Eby has launched his British Columbia election campaign a day early, making the key battle ground of Surrey his first stop.

    • A pair of runaway pigs are in the custody of an animal sanctuary in the Okanagan after evading police and volunteers for hours earlier this week.

    • The Red Bridge, a historic landmark in Kamloops, B.C., was completely destroyed by fire early Thursday morning.

    • Animal protection officers in British Columbia have rescued three pit bulls 鈥 including one that gave birth to 10 puppies 鈥 from a rat-infested home in Kelowna.

    • After a summer of preparation, the Lethbridge Hurricanes are ready to open the 2024-25 season.

    • As a new semester is underway, Lethbridge Polytechnic and the University of Lethbridge say the number of students on campus is on the rise.

    • A Lethbridge resident is facing charges after police seized drugs and weapons at a traffic stop for bicycle equipment violations.

    • A 26-year-old driver from Surrey, B.C., has been charged with three counts of criminal negligence causing death and bodily harm in a crash that killed two youths in northern Ontario last year.

    • Ontario Provincial Police say three suspects from southern Ontario have been charged and drugs worth $300,000 have been seized following a traffic stop Sept. 16.

    • A Brampton driver, 27, was charged this week when northern Ontario police stopped the SUV he was driving on Highway 17 after a reported shooting and found more than $100,000 in cash.

    N.L.

    Local Spotlight

    Getting a photograph of a rainbow? Common. Getting a photo of a lightning strike? Rare. Getting a photo of both at the same time? Extremely rare, but it happened to a Manitoba photographer this week.

    An anonymous business owner paid off the mortgage for a New Brunswick not-for-profit.

    They say a dog is a man鈥檚 best friend. In the case of Darren Cropper, from Bonfield, Ont., his three-year-old Siberian husky and golden retriever mix named Bear literally saved his life.

    A growing group of brides and wedding photographers from across the province say they have been taken for tens of thousands of dollars by a Barrie, Ont. wedding photographer.

    Paleontologists from the Royal B.C. Museum have uncovered "a trove of extraordinary fossils" high in the mountains of northern B.C., the museum announced Thursday.

    The search for a missing ancient 28-year-old chocolate donkey ended with a tragic discovery Wednesday.

    The Royal Canadian Mounted Police is celebrating an important milestone in the organization's history: 50 years since the first women joined the force.

    It's been a whirlwind of joyful events for a northern Ontario couple who just welcomed a baby into their family and won the $70 million Lotto Max jackpot last month.

    A Good Samaritan in New Brunswick has replaced a man's stolen bottle cart so he can continue to collect cans and bottles in his Moncton neighbourhood.

    Politics

    Health

    • A Nova Scotia woman has applied for a medically assisted death, saying after years of battling to receive out-of-country surgery for an illness that causes 'indescribable' pain, she struggles to maintain the will to live.

    Sci-Tech

    Entertainment

    • Getting a photograph of a rainbow? Common. Getting a photo of a lightning strike? Rare. Getting a photo of both at the same time? Extremely rare, but it happened to a Manitoba photographer this week.

    • It was the last show for longtime children's TV star Ron (Buck Shot) Barge Friday as hundreds of family, friends and fans attended a public memorial in Calgary.

    Business

    Lifestyle

    • When Bernard Morissette got a call from Loto-Quebec on Sept. 18 and was asked if he was sitting down, he had no idea what was coming his way.

    • An anonymous business owner paid off the mortgage for a New Brunswick not-for-profit.

    Sports

    • The Winnipeg Blue Bombers have won five in a row. The Edmonton Elks have won five of their last six games. They are the two hottest teams in the West. When they meet Saturday at Commonwealth Stadium, something has to give.

    • Agreement in principle has been reached to build a new NHL arena at LeBreton Flats has been reached between the Ottawa Senators and the National Capital Commission (NCC), the two sides announced Friday.

    • F1 star Max Verstappen punished over bad word

      Formula One points leader Max Verstappen was ordered to 'accomplish some work of public interest' after uttering an inappropriate word Thursday at the news conference ahead of the Singapore Grand Prix.

    Autos

    Shopping Trends

    The Shopping Trends team is independent of the journalists at CTV News. We may earn a commission when you use our links to shop.聽Read about us.

    Stay Connected
    Follow CTV News