Canada:Justin Trudeau says truckers’ protest ‘has to stop’

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is demanding an end to a protest by hundreds of truckers that has paralysed the capital, as local authorities called for federal support. Trudeau said on Monday during an emergency debate in the House of Commons on his return to parliament after isolating for a week due to a positive coronavirus test. “This pandemic has sucked for all Canadians,” he added, visibly frustrated. “But Canadians know the way to get through it is continuing to listen to science, continuing to lean on each other.” Trudeau pledged federal government support “with whatever resources the province and city need”, without elaborating what measures might be planned. Trudeau also took to Twitter to attack the protestors again, as he said, “Canadians have the right to protest, to disagree with their government, and to make their voices heard. We’ll always protect that right. But let’s be clear: They don’t have the right to blockade our economy, or our democracy, or our fellow citizens’ daily lives. It has to stop.”

Everyone is fed up with this pandemic. Especially our workers on the front lines. We owe it to them to keep listening to science and supporting each other. pic.twitter.com/cgzmGpsEEh

— Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) February 9, 2022

In a joint statement, Bill Blair, Minister of Emergency Preparedness, Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, Infrastructure and Communities, Mona Fortier, President of the Treasury Board, Marco Mendicino, Minister of Public Safety and Omar Alghabra, Minister of Transport described the protests as “unacceptable”. No matter how much a small minority may hold themselves above public health measures, they are not above the law,” they said. The protests were organised by known far-right figures who have espoused Islamophobic, anti-Semitic and other hateful views, according to the Canadian Anti-Hate Network non-profit group.