The governor of the province has declared a state of emergency.
(Photo: AP)
Ottawa Canada’s Ontario province is determined to end blockade actions by truck drivers protesting Covid measures. The conservative prime minister of Canada’s most important province, Doug Ford, declared a state of emergency in Toronto on Friday.
He was primarily reacting to the blockade of the border crossing between Windsor and Detroit, which is important for the Canadian and US economy. Ford called on the truckers, whom he described as “squatters,” to stop their actions.
Ford, who has to face elections in the summer, had previously held back with public statements. According to political observers, he has many supporters among those who are fighting against government restrictions in the fight against Covid and, in particular, against vaccination orders.
Now, however, the blockade of the “Ambassador Bridge” between Detroit and Windsor, over which goods worth more than 400 million Canadian dollars are transported daily, is leading to the closure of car factories on both sides of the border.
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The factories rely on timely deliveries of auto parts. The jobs of many people in Ontario and Michigan are thus affected by blockages. Ford spoke of a “critical situation for our country”.
Associated with the state of emergency are powers for the police to implement the regulations that the cabinet now intends to enact. Violations and refusal to end blockades could result in heavy fines of up to 100,000 Canadian dollars (about 70,000 euros) or imprisonment for up to one year.
Trucker protests find imitators around the world
The trucker protest in Canada is now attracting attention around the world and has been imitated in a few cases. He had started the so-called Freedom Convoy in western Canada three weeks ago and found more and more support on the way to Ottawa.
The primary aim of the truckers was to get rid of the vaccination requirement for truck drivers crossing borders with the USA that has been in force since January 15, but they also had other goals, including the overthrow of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government. The hatred of many truckers is directed against this.
However, the truckers’ protest has also meant that the steps planned for the coming weeks to relax the Covid restrictions in some provinces are now being taken more quickly. Canada has one of the highest vaccination rates in the world. In Canada, as in other countries, a general obligation to vaccinate is discussed very controversially with resistance that goes beyond the relatively small circle of vaccination refusers.
More: Protest convoy against Corona measures in France