As the trucker convoy seizes national attention and stymies everyday life for Ottawa citizens, calls are revving up for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the federal government to intervene in the trucker convoy standoff.
During a briefing city officials — who are facing down fuming residents who feel not enough is being done to get the truckers on the road again — suggested that the federal government could intervene in a few ways to see the situation rectified.
The convoy has now been entrenched on Wellington Street and along other main downtown roadways for five full days. Protesters who remain are axjmtzyw “highly-determined and highly-volatile group of unlawful individuals,” as Ottawa Police Acting Deputy Chief Trish Ferguson put it Wednesday.
In a press release issued Wednesday morning, organizers of the trucker convoy said that while they regret that locals are “bearing this inconvenience,” their message is to take it up with their elected officials because the politicians are the ones responsible, as they have not yielded to their demands.
City councillor for the Somerset Ward Catherine McKenney has been calling for the federal government to step in and have the RCMP take the lead in securing the downtown core so that local police can focus on addressing the “terrorizing” going on in city neighbourhoods.
On Wednesday, McKenney said that residents have been “abandoned during a national crisis and an occupation of our city,” and implored the mayor to ramp up the political pressure.
“You can request that… and I beg you to request it,” McKenney said.
The government has yet to confirm any formal request for assistance has been made.
Responding to the suggestion that the RCMP step in, federal Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino has asserted that Ottawa police is the force of jurisdiction and it remains a locally led operation.
“Those decisions are taken independently by the local police of jurisdiction and that is the Ottawa Police Service. Lines of communication remain open and this government will do what we can to support as much as we can,” he said.
City councilor and chair of the Ottawa Police Services Board Diane Deans suggested that Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson and Trudeau get in touch with GoFundMe and demand that protesters not be given access to the millions of dollars raised.
As of Wednesday evening, the GoFundMe campaign has raised more than $10.1 million in donations, before being suspended and put under a compliance review. Most of the money had already been held back while the fundraising company worked with the organizers to provide a clear plan for how the funds will be allocated.
As of Wednesday evening, the GoFundMe campaign has raised more than $10.1 million in donations, the majority of which has been held back while the fundraising company works with the organizers to provide a clear plan for how the funds will be allocated.
"They’re funding these mercenaries and that funding stream needs to get cut off," Deans said.
Watson said he relayed residents’ frustrations to Trudeau during a conversation earlier this week, and at that time the prime minister “expressed his support to the community and ensured us that RCMP would provide the resources necessary.”
The mayor said he’s also spoken with Treasury Board President and local MP Mona Fortier about ways the government could financially assist those who have lost their wages or income due to not being able to open given the ongoing security risk and instances of harassment of workers for enforcing mask mandates and other pandemic precautions.
“We’re in another type of lockdown,” Watson said.
Ottawa Police Chief Peter Sloly said Wednesday that all options “for the resolution of this demonstration” are on the table: from a court injection to potentially calling in the Canadian Armed Forces, a move that’s rarely been taken in the history of civilian demonstrations in this country.
The Parliamentary Protective Service and House of Commons’ sergeant-at-arms as well as national security agencies such as CSIS have been playing a role in monitoring and managing the ongoing protests.
Intelligence officers have also been assisting with negotiations, and “adequate resourcing” is in place in the vicinity of the Hill, city officials said Wednesday.
Sloly also said the RCMP has been assisting, but ultimately the solution may not be a policing one.
Reacting to this remark, former Ottawa Police Chief Charles Bordeleau suggested that it was a signal to the prime minister that the city needs help.
“You’re the one that can make this go away very quickly, by talking to the demonstrators. That’s what I get when he’s saying there may not be a unique policing solution to this,” Bordeleau said on CTV News Channel’s Power Play, noting also that he doesn’t think politicians “should continue to put fuel on the on the fire.”
It’s not just a push for enhanced police or military assistance, the Liberals are also being pushed politically to engage, with pressure coming from the Conservatives who have hitched their support to the convoy and have spent time meeting with those camped out in front of Parliament Hill.
Leading off question period for the party following the ouster of Erin O’Toole, Deputy Conservative Leader Candice Bergen called for Trudeau to listen to the protesters’ wide-ranging list of grievances, despite many of them calling for him to be removed from office.
“I know the prime minister doesn’t agree with the truckers and their supporters, but he does have some responsibility as a prime minister, to help bring some resolution. Can the prime minister tell this House and tell all Canadians, if he has any plans to help these folks feel like they’ve been heard?” she asked.
Responding, Trudeau –who has already indicated he has no intention of meeting with the protesters — said that Canadians have well and clearly had their voices heard on vaccine mandates during the last federal election.
RELATED IMAGESview larger image
Children stand on top of a truck in front of Parliament Hill as a rally against COVID-19 restrictions, which began as a cross-country convoy protesting a federal vaccine mandate for truckers, continues in Ottawa, on Tuesday, February 1, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Patrick Doyle
