Canadian Prime Minister said the country’s trucker protest « has to end and it will end.”
Canadian authorities Friday turned up the legal and public pressure on protesters to lift their blockades in Ottawa and at the U.S. border, with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau warning: “This unlawful activity has to end and it will end.” Federal, provincial and local officials moved simultaneously on different fronts to break the standoff, which began with truckers and others angry over the country’s COVID-19 restrictions and has morphed into a broader attack from the right on Trudeau and his Liberal government, cheered on by conservatives in the U.S. “We heard you. It’s time to go home now,” the prime minister said, warning that “everything is on the table” for ending the standoff. Since Monday, scores of drivers mostly in pickup trucks have bottled up the Ambassador Bridge connecting Windsor, Ontario, to Detroit, disrupting the auto industry on both sides of the border. Hundreds more truckers have paralyzed downtown Ottawa over the past two weeks. In a rapid string of developments Friday, Ontario Premier Doug Ford declared a state of emergency and threatened heavy penalties against those who interfere with the free flow of goods and people. And the mayor of Windsor, Ontario, asked for an injunction to put an end to the bridge protest. A judge began hearing evidence in the afternoon. Ford said he will convene the provincial cabinet on Saturday to urgently enact measures that make it “crystal clear” it is illegal to block critical infrastructure. Violators will face up to a year in prison and a maximum fine of $100,000, he said. “Let me be as clear as I can: There will be consequences for these actions, and they will be severe,” Ford said. “This is a pivotal, pivotal moment for our nation.” The measures will also provide additional authority “to consider taking away the personal and commercial licenses of anyone who doesn’t comply,” according to the premier’s office. Trudeau called Ontario’s decision “responsible and necessary” and said he spoke with President Biden about it.
