Ford declares state of emergency in Ontario over truck blockades
Premier Doug Ford is declaring a state of emergency in Ontario over the trucking blockades that continue to paralyze parts of Ottawa and threaten jobs and manufacturing at border crossings.
Today, I am using my authority as Premier of Ontario to declare a state of emergency in our province," Ford said Friday morning.
And I will convene cabinet to use legal authorities to urgently enact orders that will make crystal clear it is illegal and punishable to block and impede the movement of goods, people and services along critical infrastructure. This will include protecting international border crossings, 400-series highways, airports, ports, bridges and railways."
He said the province will also be protecting the safe and essential movement of ambulatory and medical services, public transit, municipal and provincial roadways, as well as pedestrian walkways. Fines for non-compliance will be severe, with a maximum penalty of $100,000 and up to a year imprisonment."
The province will also provide additional authority to consider taking away the personal and commercial licenses of anyone who doesn't comply with these orders."
We are now two weeks into the siege of the City of Ottawa. I call it a siege because that is what it is. It's an illegal occupation. This is no longer a protest. With a protest, you peacefully make your point and you go back home. And I know that the vast majority of people did that. They came, they peacefully demonstrated, they made their point, and they left. And I want to say to those people - you have been heard - Canada has heard you."
Now two weeks old, the so-called Freedom Convoy" of trucker protests and blockades have paralyzed parts of Ottawa and border crossings in Windsor, Sarnia - and others across Canada - and has already led to layoffs at some Ontario manufacturers unable to get needed supplies from the U.S.
American officials have also expressed deep concern about the impact of the blockade at the Ambassador Bridge, which accounts for one-quarter of trade between Canada and the U.S.
The Canadian Automotive Parts Manufacturers' Association has gone to court to get an injunction Friday to end the protest at the bridge, saying it has resulted in nearly 100,000 temporary job losses in auto parts manufacturing.
Ford made the announcement at Queen's Park Friday morning with Attorney General Doug Downey, Minister of Transportation Caroline Mulroney and Solicitor General Sylvia Jones.
On Thursday, Downey asked the Superior Court of Justice to block the dispersal of any and all monetary donations made through the Freedom Convoy 2022 and Adopt-a-Trucker campaign pages" on the GiveSendGo platform, estimated at $9 million (U.S).
On Friday morning, NDP Leader Andrea Horwath said from Ottawa that it's time to focus on the people paying the biggest price for the occupation in Ottawa. Parents with babies that can't sleep, workers and small business owners losing their income, elderly people afraid to leave the house, and health-care workers who have been threatened and harassed."
She accused Ford of coddling illegal occupiers and extremists - and real people are paying the price. Doug Ford has powers he's refusing to use, and resources he's withholding. Meanwhile, people here in Ottawa are living through a nightmare."
Green Party Leader Mike Schreiner called it inexcusable" for Ford not to have acted sooner.
The fact that the Premier has waited two weeks to help Ontarians is inexcusable," he said. On Monday I called for an emergency return to Queen's Park so we could all work together collaboratively on a solution to the occupation of Ottawa and the blockade of the border. But Ford has refused to work across party and jurisdictional lines, snubbing the trilateral meetings with the feds and Ottawa and ignoring requests for a cross-partisan approach."
Liberal Leader Steven Del Duca said for a guy who got elected promising to make Ontario Open For Business,' Doug Ford has completely failed the people who work and own those businesses."
With files from Star Staff
Kristin Rushowy is a Toronto-based reporter covering Ontario politics for the Star. Follow her on Twitter: @krushowy