Trudeau hits the panic button over protests – never-before-used power as Canada crumbles

In Canada, horn-blaring demonstrations demanding an end to Canadian COVID-19 vaccine mandates for cross-border truck drivers gridlocked the capital, Ottawa, for weeks and spilt over to key Canada-United States border crossings.

Canadian police made several arrests on Sunday and cleared protesters and vehicles that occupied the Ambassador Bridge in Windsor, Ontario, after a court order on Friday.

Now, according to CBC, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is set to invoke never-before-used federal emergency powers in response to the nationwide protests.

The Canadian government had discussed whether to invoke special emergency powers to deal with the protests in the capital, Emergency Preparedness Minister Bill Blair told CBC News on Sunday.

Mr Blair said the lack of police enforcement in Ottawa was “inexplicable.”

The rarely used Emergencies Act allows the federal government to override the provinces and authorise special temporary measures to ensure security during national emergencies anywhere in the country.

It has only been used once in peacetime – by Mr Trudeau’s father, former Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau – in 1970.

The blockade had choked the supply chain for Detroit’s carmakers, forcing Ford Motor Co, the second-largest US automaker, General Motors Co and Toyota Motor Corp to cut production.

The bridge carries about $360 million a day in two-way cargoes – 25 percent of the value of all US-Canada goods trade.

READ MORE: Trudeau forced to trigger emergency as Canada protests cripple city

In the western Canadian province of British Columbia, the Pacific Highway border crossing in Surrey was temporarily closed on Sunday afternoon, for a second day, by a group of about 200 protesters.

A small group of protesters gathered on the US side of the border, blocking incoming vehicles.

The “Freedom Convoy” protests started in the national capital Ottawa by Canadian truckers opposing a vaccinate-or-quarantine mandate for cross-border drivers, entered its 17th day on Sunday.

But it morphed into a rallying point against broader COVID-19 curbs, carbon tax and other issues, with people joining in cars, pick-up trucks and farm vehicles.

One Ottawa resident said: “We’re fed up, we’re tired.

“We want Ottawa to be boring again.”

Truckers have been told they could face fines of up to $100,000 (£60,000) if they do not go home.

They could also spend a year in jail.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford said: “The right to protest does not outweigh the right to get food, fuel and goods across our border.

“That’s why we are ensuring our police have the tools and powers to resolve this situation and restore order.”