The Ontario government is invoking new emergency measures with a state of emergency aimed at ending the blockades at a key border crossing in the province.
Ont. Premier Doug Ford announced the measures Friday, saying they will be used to levy stiffer fines and penalties on protesters, including a maximum penalty of $100,000 and up to a year imprisonment.
"Let me be clear, the government does not direct our police forces, but we do set the laws," Ford said in prepared remarks ahead of a press conference Friday morning. "Today, I am using my authority as Premier of Ontario to declare a state of emergency in our province."
Ford added that the provincial government will provide additional authority for police to consider taking away the personal and commercial licenses of anyone who doesn’t comply with these orders. The measures are temporary, but Ford said the government plans to bring new legislation forward to make them permanent in law.
"We are taking the steps necessary to support our police as they do what it takes to restore law and order," Ford said.
A string of blockades in Ontario and Alberta, as well as protests across Canada have followed the "Freedom Convoy" in Ottawa, which began two weeks ago as a demonstration against vaccine mandates for truckers and has since expanded to protest all pandemic restrictions.
A new blockade sprung up at the Canada-U.S. border in Manitoba on Thursday, further choking trade and traffic between the two nations.
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police is warning members of the public to avoid the area near the border community of Emerson, Man., where trucks and farm equipment have blocked the international port of entry with the United States.
The president of the Canadian Trucking Alliance (CTA), a Canadian federation of provincial trucking associations, says these blockades are now hurting truckers and the industry, despite the "Freedom Convoy" initially starting as a protest on their behalf.
CTA President Stephen Laskowski told CTV’s Your Morning on Friday that transport industry businesses short of drivers and equipment to deliver shipments are "running out of patience" due to ongoing blockades at the Canada-U.S. border.
Laskowski said the roadblocks have caused wait times of six to eight hours for truckers to cross, which takes a toll on drivers.
"They have no access to food for six to eight hours other than what’s in their truck, [no] washrooms, they’re losing shifts, the mental stress, there’s nowhere to park their trucks… to rest," he explained.
"Most importantly, of all of these things that drivers are telling us their reputation as truck drivers are being hurt by these people who have nothing to do with our industry that are involved in this."
Because of this, he says the blockades need to be resolved "immediately."
"Seventy per cent of the U.S. trade moves by truck and the vast majority of food products that we bring in from the United States, almost all moves by truck. It’s critical that these pieces of infrastructure that are critical trade networks be opened up as soon as possible," Laskowski said.
Laskowski says the protests have been "hijacked" by people who are not affiliated in any way with the trucking industry, asking them to "go home." He noted that his organization is receiving calls from protesters, asking if the CTA can send trucks to the demonstrations as many aren’t truckers themselves.
"As we move forward we need to all remember that these blockades are not a part of the trucking industry, real heroes are the ones that are caught behind these blockades," Laskowski said.
ONGOING BLOCKADES
In the nation’s capital, Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino confirmed to reporters before Question Period on Thursday that the RCMP will send more resources to end the blockades in Ottawa, Windsor, Ont., and Coutts, Alta.
Mendicino added that the priority is ending the "illegal blockades."
According to the CTA, these crossings total about $150 billion in trade between Canada and the United States by truck each year.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau also spoke to reporters Thursday and reiterated that the barricades are "unacceptable."
"They are impacting on regular Canadians …. This is hurting communities across the country. That’s why I’ve been working closexjmtzywly with municipal leaders, with all of our partners, I had a long conversation with Premier Ford last night. We’re going to continue to do what’s necessary to end these barricades," he said.
The protest and blockade of the Ambassador Bridge in Windsor, Ont., which connects Canada and the U.S. via Detroit, has been ongoing since Monday, prompting Windsor city officials and local police to request provincial and federal assistance.
In an update Thursday, Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens said that Windsor City Council met and authorized steps to seek a legal injunction from the Superior Court of Ontario "to bring about an end to the illegal occupation."
Dilkens said the protesters are trespassing and will be removed if necessary, adding that additional resources from the Ontario Provincial Police have been deployed.
Several car plants in Canada and the U.S. cancelled shifts or shut down production in their plants, pointing to border delays for crucial parts.
U.S. officials have rerouted some commercial traffic to the Blue Water Bridge that connects Canada to the U.S. via Sarnia, Ont., and Port Huron, Mich., to alleviate some of the pressure at the Ambassador Bridge.
Speaking on CTV News Channel on Thursday, the CEO of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce said the situation at the Ambassador Bridge and other ports of entry from the U.S. is "an exceptionally serious situation."
"It is affecting Canadian families, it is affecting Canadian workers and it is affecting Canadian businesses," Perrin Beatty said.
"Its effect is immediate. Every hour that this continues, more damage is being done, and it is critical that it’s resolved as quickly as possible and as peacefully as possible."
At the border blockade at Coutts, Alta., the RCMP moved in on Wednesday and were met with angry protesters who chanted "Hell no, we won’t go" as the officers attempted to move them away. On Thursday, the protesters once again closed down all lanes of traffic at the crossing.
Officers working to dismantle a second Alberta blockade approximately 15 kilometres north of Coutts at Milk River started issuing tickets and asked protesters to move to an area off the highway, citing safety concerns.
Police say a handful of tickets for violations of the province’s Traffic Safety Act were handed out.
RELATED IMAGESview larger image
Protestors block traffic at the Ambassador Bridge, linking Windsor, Ontario and Detroit on Wednesday, February 9, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nicole Osborne
People block highway 75 with heavy trucks and farm equipment and access to the Canada/US border crossing at Emerson, Man., Thursday, Feb. 10, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/John Woods
A truck convoy protesting COVID-19 vaccine mandates blocks the highway at the busy U.S. border crossing in Coutts, Alta., on Feb. 2, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh
