On Friday, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau spoke with United States (US) President Joe Biden about the ongoing trucker-led blockades at the US-Canada border that have hampered trade between the two neighbouring countries, and assured Washington that Ottawa will take “quick action” against the “illegal” blockades. The blockades form part of the ongoing ‘Freedom Convoy’ protests against the Trudeau government’s COVID-19 policies, particularly a recently passed mandate requiring all cross-border truckers to be fully vaccinated.
Both Trudeau and Biden have raised concerns over the impact of the blockade on the US-Canada trade, particularly the auto industry in the US. In fact, the protests have forced car companies such as Ford, Toyota and Honda to reduce production and shut down factories. To this end, Trudeau promised that Canadian authorities are working swiftly to ensure that the blockades at key crossings, including Detroit/Windsor, Sweetwater/Coutts and Pembina/Emerson, are swiftly removed. Furthermore, he thanked the Biden administration and the Governor of Michigan for helping Canada resolve the disruption.
On Sunday, White House Homeland Security Advisor Dr. Liz Sherwood-Randall confirmed that Canadian authorities had cleared the protesters from the Ambassador Bridge that connects Windsor, Ontario with Detroit, Michigan, adding that barriers are being removed and the passage is being secured with plans to make the bridge operational as soon as possible. Additionally, Sherwood-Randall said that she has been in contact with the Canadian National Security and Intelligence Advisor Jody Thomas to ensure the complete removal of all the blockades. The officials recognised that the blockades have impacted livelihoods on both sides of the border and stressed on the need for “swift, strong action and deterring future blockades.”
The Ambassador Bridge is one of North America’s busiest trade crossings, accounting for almost 25% of trade between the two countries. Although Canada opened alternative land, air, and sea routes to bypass the bridge, lengthy delays persisted. Last week, US Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg urged Canadian authorities to invoke federal powers to resolve the situation.
Similarly, Trudeau called on all political parties in Canada to denounce the blockades for hurting jobs and the economy. He has strongly condemned the protests, underlining that they represent only a small minority of truckers, citing that more than 90% of Canadian truckers are fully vaccinated.
More than two weeks ago, anti-vaccine protesters arrived in thousands at Canada’s capital, Ottawa, under the moniker ‘Freedom Convoy’ to demonstrate against Trudeau’s COVID-19 policy. Since then Ottawa’s mayor has declared a state of emergency and the Ottawa police have registered hundreds of tickets against protesters for minor offences, including excessive noise, using fireworks and suspended licences, and criminal offences including theft, property damage and hate crimes. The protests in Canada have been credited with inspiring similar style right-wing protests in Australia and New Zealand.