Ottawa residents who lived through the convoy blockade in late January and February told the inquiry probing the invocation of the Emergencies Act that they felt “terrified” and felt they had “no escape” from the blaring horns, diesel fumes and fireworks pinging off their windows.
Victoria De La Ronde, a resident of the Centretown neighbourhood — one of the most densely occupied areas of the protest — said the impact on her physical wellbeing caused by the protest was “quite extensive.” “I certainly, during the experience, had difficulty sleeping.
I had an effect on my lungs and my throat because of the fumes and other smells. And I also have long term effects,” she said. “The long term effects are loss of hearing, loss of balance, some vertigo. (I’m) triggered by the sound of any horn now.” Read more: Emergencies Act inquiry: Commissioner warns against ‘adversarial’ proceedings The experience, she said, was one of extreme helplessness. “The horn blowing was so loud and continuous, there was absolutely no place for me to go in my own unit.
There was no place that had any less sound,” she said. “I checked different rooms to see, well, maybe I can sleep on the floor here.