Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is not backing down in his fight against the country’s trucker protests. On Monday, the political leader invoked the Emergencies Act to reopen the Main US-Canada bridge.
The Parliament has one week to approve Trudeau’s request. The 1988 law, which has been rarely used, allows the Canadian federal government to take extraordinary measures in emergency cases.
Trudeau invokes Emergencies Act to end trucker protests
Canada’s capital, Ottawa, had been blocked by protests for two weeks. The liberal politician decided it was time to adopt a more aggressive posture against the protesters.
This response will make it possible to clear Ottawa, which was blocked by 400 trucks.
The protests impacted the local economy, and residents had started showing their displeasure with the lingering situation.
Trudeau justified his decision by saying that the protests were not peaceful. He noted that it was time to end the illegal and dangerous activities.
For Trudeau, the temporary measures will allow him to better manage the impact of the protests on the country. Some backers of the prime minister claim that he waited too long to reach this decision.
However, critics say that the Canadian leader is going too far by bringing “martial law” to the country.
For some people on the right, the current situation in Canada does not require such an extreme response. While this might be true, the Canadian authorities are seeing some results.
Main US-Canada bridge reopens after one-week blockade
The Ambassador Bridge, the main US-Canada bridge, reopened on Monday after being blocked for close to one week.
Police have cleared the remaining protesters. The Biden administration had encouraged its Canadian counterpart to crack down on the protests that were initially focused on vaccine mandates.
American officials had argued that the blockade was affecting people’s livelihood in the two countries.
The so-called “Freedom Convoy” protesters were later joined by others who are rebelling against various measures like masks and gathering restrictions.
The protesters found similar voices in the Netherlands, France, and New Zealand. The shutdown of the busy bridge was a worrisome sign for American officials who do not want to see the movement take off in the US.
Officials monitor similar protests in the US
The “Convoy to Save America” made some noise in Buffalo, New York, on Saturday and Sunday. Organizers say that they were inspired by what they saw happening in Canada.
For them, the time to stand up for freedom has reached, and it is the moment to push back against a government that is continually stretching the boundaries of what is allowed by the Constitution.
The voices behind “Convoy to Save America” say that they act in a spirit of unity and put forward ideas like togetherness and peace.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul is said to be monitoring the situation in Buffalo and elsewhere in her state and stands ready to respond if necessary.
As polls show more people are getting frustrated by the different restrictions linked to the COVID-19 pandemic, these various movements could continue to gain steam in different ways.
Some observers wonder if a tough response is always the correct answer in these situations.
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