Ontario declares a national emergency, deems trucker protests an ‘illegal occupation’

Ontario Premier Doug Ford declared a state of emergency in the largest province of Canada to end what he called truckers’ “illegal occupation” of the national capital Ottawa and their blockade of the country’s border with the US.

Ford said that he would “urgently enact orders that will make crystal clear it is illegal and punishable to block and impede the movement of goods, people and services along critical infrastructure”, including international border crossings, major highways, airports, ports, bridges and railways, reports Xinhua news agency.

Thousands of Canadian truckers and their supporters arrived in Ottawa in late January to oppose the government’s vaccine requirement for truckers crossing the border into the United States, which has the same policy.

Premier Doug Ford said he will convene the provincial cabinet on Saturday to enact orders that make it “crystal clear” it is illegal to block critical infrastructure. “We are now two weeks into the siege of Ottawa,” Ford said. “It’s an illegal occupation. It’s no longer a protest.”

The mayor of Windsor also intends to ask for an injunction Friday afternoon to try to break up the bridge blockade, as parts shortages caused by the protest rippled through the auto industry on both sides of the U.S.-Canadian border.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said at a news conference in Ottawa on Friday, noting the protesters need to understand “it’s time to go home.” He told reporters that police at the federal, provincial and municipal levels will enforce the law.

“Everything is on the table because this unlawful activity has to end and it will end,” said the Prime Minister. “Of course, I can’t say too much more now as to exactly when or how this end because unfortunately, we are concerned about violence. So, we’re taking every precaution to keep people safe.”

Trudeau was asked whether he would call in the army to assist the Ottawa Police Service, which has yet to receive all of the 1,800 additional officers requested from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and the Ontario Provincial Police.

“Using military forces against civilian populations in Canada or in any other democracy is something to avoid having to do at all costs.”