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. "This is a pivotal, pivotal moment for our nation." "There will be consequences for these actions, and they will be severe," Ford said. Violators will face up to a year in prison and a maximum fine of $100,000, he said. It’s time to go home now," the prime minister said, cautioning that "everything is on the table" for ending the blockades.Īlso 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.įord 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. "This unlawful activity has to end and it will end," Trudeau warned just hours earlier. The ruling came in a day of fast-moving developments as federal, provincial and local officials worked simultaneously on different fronts to try to break the standoff with the so-called Freedom Convoy, whose members have been cheered on by the right in the U.S., including Fox News personalities, Donald Trump and Texas Sen. RELATED: Ambassador Bridge closure threatens automotive industry on both sides of the border Supporters of the protesters, some of them truckers, argued that an order to disband would disrupt their right to peacefully protest vaccine mandates that hinder their ability to earn a living. The judge's decision came after a 4 1/2-hour court hearing at which the city of Windsor and lawyers for auto parts makers argued that the blockade was causing undue economic harm for the city and region. And protesters have also blocked two other border crossings, in Alberta and Manitoba. Hundreds more truckers have paralyzed downtown Ottawa over the past two weeks. Since Monday, drivers mostly in pickup trucks have bottled up the bridge connecting Windsor to Detroit. The crowd responded by singing the Canadian national anthem and chanting "freedom." Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has resisted industry pressure to delay the mandate since it was first announced in November.Windsor mayor pushes to end Ambassador Bridge blockadeĪs the Ambassador Bridge remains closed due to a COVID-19 mandate protest, an injunction has been sought to end it, FOX 2 News. 15, under which unvaccinated Canadian truckers re-entering Canada from the United States must get tested for COVID-19 and quarantine themselves.ĭriver shortages are further expected to fuel red-hot inflation which is running at a three-decade high, industry lobby groups gave said. The CTA, however, said in a statement on Saturday it does not support any protests on public road ways and the only way to cross the border on a commercial truck is by getting vaccinated.Ĭanada imposed the vaccine mandate for the trucking industry from Jan. The trucking industry is vital to ensure smooth flow of goods since more than two-thirds of the C$650 billion ($521 billion) in goods traded annually between Canada and the United States travels on roads.īut as many as 32,000, or 20%, of the 160,000 Canadian and American cross-border truck drivers may be taken off the roads due to the mandate, the Canadian Trucking Alliance (CTA) estimates. ![]() The convoy is expected to reach Ottawa on Jan. ![]() The funds raised would be used to help with the costs of fuel, food and lodgings, the gofundme page said. Truckers under the banner Freedom Convoy 2022 had raised C$2.7 million ($2.2 million) by Sunday through a gofundme campaign to fight the mandate. ![]() TORONTO, Jan 23 (Reuters) - A convoy of truckers started their march from Vancouver on Sunday to the Canadian capital city of Ottawa protesting the government's COVID-19 vaccine mandate for truckers, which the industry says would create driver shortages and fuel inflation.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |