As a collection of anti-vaccine, anti-vaccine-mandate, anti-restrictions, and anti-Trudeau Canadians rolls into Ottawa, Ontario Premier Doug Ford gave them his carefully-worded and partial support on local radio stations.

"First of all, I always say I support the truckers, but I also support getting vaccinated," Ford told Patty Handysides, who hosts a show on AM 800 CKLW.

"Get vaccinated if you can," Ford said after making similar comments to myFM's Jordan Mercier and Graham Elliott in an interview that aired Friday morning.

Thousands of protestors — in trucks, cars, tractors and other vehicles from as far as both coasts — are expected to descend on the nation's capital before Monday, the day the House of Commons resumes sitting after its extended winter break. As they approach the city, their numbers, and the crowds supporting them along the way, have grown.

So has scrutiny of the movement.

Some people have been openly hostile, even violent, while others have made threats against Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, sought out politicians' home addresses, and harassed and assaulted journalists at stops along the way.

Others insist the protest is meant to be peaceful.

MPs have been told to be on the alert by Parliamentary Protective Security, the outfit that provides security on the Hill.

The movement has been spurred by false claims — such as what's causing backlogged supply chains, and of the safety and efficacy of vaccines — in posts on "Freedom Convoy" social-media accounts.

Rallying with convoy supporters yesterday was Ford's eldest daughter Krista Haynes, who regularly posts anti-vaccine and anti-lockdown content on Instagram, where she has more than 38,000 followers.

In one photo she posted, she's posing with the Canadian flag draped over her shoulders while standing next to a woman with a sign reading, "FEAR IS THE REAL VIRUS! OPEN ONTARIO!"

In another photo on her account, Krista's holding a "F*CK TRUDEAU" flag.

When asked about the convoy by myFM's Elliott, Ford said vaccines work.

"(Getting vaccinated will) keep you out of the hospital," he said. "For the most part, (it will) keep you out of ICU, and (it will) keep you out of the morgue."

When asked about it by AM 800 CKLW's Handysides, Ford said employees missing work because of COVID is straining the supply chain.

"One of the biggest challenges we're having is the absenteeism ... in manufacturing facilities, processing facilities, packaging — it's a wide range," he said.

On Monday, many of the province's gyms, bars, restaurants and fitness and recreational facilities that have been closed since Jan. 5 can reopen at 50 per cent capacity.

As Dr. Kieran Moore, Ford's top COVID adviser, also said on Thursday, Ford told AM 800 CKLW and myFM that Ontario will have to "learn to live" with the virus.

Ford fashions himself as someone who disdains public-health restrictions unless they're absolutely necessary.

In yet another interview that aired Thursday, this one with AM640's John Oakley, Ford responded directly for the first time to a report by Queen's Park Today on his government awarding a sole-sourced contract to FH Health, a company whose entire board of directors donated the maximum allowed to Ford's Progressive Conservative (PC) party.

On Thursday, Ontario's NDP publicized its discovery that FH Health employees, and their family members, donated more than $40,000 to the PCs.

"There's no issue," Ford said. "This is the opposition playing their games."

Doug Ford says he supports truckers — and getting vaccinated

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