Key US-Canada bridge reopens as Ottawa protest persists
The busiest U.S.-Canada border crossing reopened on Monday after nearly a weeklong blockade by protesters demonstrating against COVID-19 measures.
However, Canada’s capital Ottawa remains paralyzed by the anti-government protest. The protests continue despite the province of Ontario invoking a state of emergency to end a blockade that has crippled trade between Canada and the United States. Canadian official warned anyone involved in the protest would face “severe” consequences, including nearly $100,000 fines or even jail time.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau also issued a stern warning to protesters who have set up truck blockades to express their opposition to government mandates regarding COVID-19, saying, “We’ve heard you. It’s time to go home now.”
Trudeau plans on invoking the Emergencies Act to give the federal government extra powers to handle the protests across the country, Canadian news media reported. He plans on invokingThe Emergencies Act that defines a national emergency as a temporary “urgent and critical situation” that “seriously endangers the lives, health or safety of Canadians and is of such proportions or nature as to exceed the capacity or authority of a province to deal with it.”
Protesters with the “Freedom Convoy” in recent weeks have gridlocked Ottawa’s downtown core and impeded border crossings at Alberta and Montana, Manitoba and North Dakota, and British Columbia and Washington state. They also inspired similar convoys in France, New Zealand and the Netherlands.
What is the Freedom Convoy protest?
Since late January, hundreds of heavy-duty trucks and other vehicles have parked in downtown Ottawa by protestors decrying vaccine mandates for truckers and other COVID-19 restrictions.
The ‘Freedom Convoy’ started as a truckers’ protest by drivers against vaccine mandates imposed by both Canada and the US but over the days it attracted support from many Canadians who say they are fed up with the coronavirus social restrictions and vaccine mandates. Many protestors demanded that rules be abolished requiring vaccination to either work, travel or eat at a local pub. Though vast majority of Canadians are vaccinated and COVID-19 death rate is one-third that of the United States, but COVID-19 health precautions are gradually falling away in Canada.
Many Canadian officials said the continued protests posed a threat to public security and the economy. Canadian prime minister warned that the blockades at border crossings are threatening Canada’s economic recovery. “Blockades, illegal demonstrations are unacceptable, and are negatively impacting businesses and manufacturers,” Trudeau said, adding that “We must do everything to bring them to an end.”
Canadian police said that they had made 26 arrests, issued 2,600 tickets and there140 criminal investigations underway since the start of protest through Saturday.
