If the protestors are “unwilling to move on,” the mayor said tow trucks and equipment would be brought in to help “move the vehicles out of the way” to reopen the border crossing. The mayor of Windsor, Ontario, told CNN on Thursday that city leaders will be in court Friday to seek an injunction against the protestors. The Canadian trucker protest is in its second week. Olga Samotoy / Sputnik via AP Olga Samotoy/SPTNK/AP/FILE On January 29, thousands of truckers and hundreds of other demonstrators joined the so-called Freedom Convoy to protest against the vaccine mandates for truckers crossing the US-Canada border. Videos on social media showed a handful of vehicles driving around near a street close to the airport carrying Canadian flags and honking.Ħ754148 A man takes part in a protest against COVID-19 restrictions in Ottawa, Canada. Ford, General Motors and Stellantis all announced production issues due to the blockade.įurther, about 60 to 70 vehicles were attempting to disrupt traffic at Ottawa International Airport on Thursday by circling the arrivals and departure terminals, the airport said in a statement. The blockades have slowed the movement of goods and caused production issues at a number of car manufacturing plants along the border. More demonstrators expected in Canada’s capital “They can try get rid of us, but we’re not leaving.”īut officials are taking legal steps to remove the demonstrations. So, I am here for the long haul,” Dylan Friesen, a protester in Ottawa, told CNN on Wednesday. “I want all these mandates gone, and I’m not leaving until all the mandates are gone. Their “Freedom Convoy” has since drawn others who are resisting Covid-19 preventative measures, including mask mandates, lockdowns and restrictions on gatherings. The protests were ignited by truckers who oppose the nation’s new rule that requires them to be fully vaccinated when crossing the Canada-US border or face a two-week quarantine. And thirdly, the Coutts access point between Alberta and Montana has also been blocked. Secondly, a mix of semi-trailers and farm equipment shut down the border crossing connecting Emerson, Manitoba, and Pembina, North Dakota, according to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in Manitoba. Thursday marked the fourth day protesters impeded access to the Ambassador Bridge, which connects Detroit and Windsor – the busiest international crossing in North America. In recent days, demonstrators have parked their bulky vehicles in the middle of critical roadways between Canada and the US. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said late Thursday the blockades were “hurting jobs, businesses, and our country’s economy.”įor two weeks now, the trucks have blockaded the downtown core of Ottawa, the capital of Canada. “Our top priority is to make sure that these illegal blockades end.” “The plan is to make sure police have all the resources they need,” said Marco Mendicino, the public safety minister. To address the ongoing issue, the Canadian government announced Thursday it would send additional officers and resources to protests throughout the country. “The Government of Canada and the United States have now made being vaccinated a requirement to cross the border. This regulation is not changing so, as an industry, we must adapt and comply with this mandate,” said CTA president Stephen Laskowski. “The only way to cross the border, in a commercial truck or any other vehicle, is to get vaccinated.Access to three border crossings in Michigan, North Dakota and Montana have been cut off by truckers and like-minded demonstrators on the Canadian side of the border who are protesting Covid-related restrictions. What is not acceptable is disrupting the motoring public on highways and commerce at the border. CTA believes such actions – especially those that interfere with public safety – are not how disagreements with government policies should be expressed. Members of the trucking industry who want to publicly express displeasure over government policies can choose to hold an organized, lawful event on Parliament Hill or contact their local MP. The Canadian Trucking Alliance (CTA) does not support and strongly disapproves of any protests on public roadways, highways, and bridges. Accordingly, most of our nation’s hard-working truck drivers are continuing to move cross-border and domestic freight to ensure our economy continues to function. The vast majority of the Canadian trucking industry is vaccinated with the overall industry vaccination rate among truck drivers closely mirroring that of the general public.
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