'It's not safe': Ottawa residents say they've been accosted by 'Freedom Convoy'

[Jilly_in_VA]

When Justin Romanov fled to Canada from Russia nearly a decade ago, he found a safe haven. As a refugee who had been repeatedly beaten by police in Moscow for protesting in support of LGBTQ rights, he felt safe enough to build a life — finding a partner and buying a house just outside Ottawa.

But over the past two weeks, Romanov, 26, said he has seen a different side of Canada, with an unprecedented demonstration in the country’s capital. The hundreds of truckers and protesters rallying outside Ottawa’s Parliament Hill and demanding an end to Covid-19 vaccine mandates have made him and many others in the city afraid.

“I just don’t feel safe to be there," Romanov, who travels downtown every day to work as a food delivery driver, told NBC News. “I do not feel safe in downtown Ottawa right now because I have a feeling if people will learn that I’m a refugee and a gay, I’m afraid of some trouble there and to be honest, I am a little bit disappointed that this protest (is) still happening across Canada."

Not only is the "Freedom Convoy" protest still happening in Canada, bringing chaos to the capital and traffic on its busiest crossing with the United States to a halt, but its influence has also reached across the border with officials warning that a trucker convoy could disrupt the Super Bowl this weekend near Los Angeles, before making its way to Washington, D.C. The warning was issued in a Department of Homeland Security bulletin obtained by NBC News.

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/-just-dont-feel-safe-ottawa-residents-describe-fears-trucker-protest-c-rcna15218
_______________________________________________________________
FFS, Trudeau......DO SOMETHING!

[Spazito]

1. The responsibility lies with the Conservative Premier of Ontario....

and he refuses to meet with the Federal government or ask for help from them. Ford, the Premier, has the power and authority to end this using the Ontario Provincial Police, OPP, he has obviously chosen not to do so.

The Federal government, Trudeau, can't step in unless there is a request for help from the Province.

[OneBlueDotS-Carolina]

2. From the Oka crisis...

Describes the mechanics of getting the armed forces involved. Of note, Brian's daughter, Caroline Mulroney is an Ontario Cabinet minister in ford's government. I can't see ford's government doing anything, plus it's time for Doug's winter vacation to Florida, where he can hang out with his buds in the trump family.


On August 8, Quebec premier Robert Bourassa announced at a press conference that in accord with Section 275 of the National Defence Act, he was requesting military support in "aid of the civil power". Prime Minister Brian Mulroney was reluctant to have the federal government and, in particular, the Canadian Forces, so involved. Under the act, however, the Solicitor General of Quebec, under direction from the Premier of Quebec, had the right to requisition the armed forces to maintain law and order as a provincial responsibility; this action had precedent. Two decades earlier during the October Crisis, Bourassa had requested and received military aid.

Around this time the SQ apparently lost control of the situation, and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) were deployed on August 14. They were prohibited from using force and were soon overwhelmed by riots catalyzed by Mohawks and mobs resulting from the blocked traffic. This resulted in ten constables being hospitalized for their injuries.[5][better source needed]

General John de Chastelain, Chief of the Defence Staff, placed Quebec-based troops in support of the provincial authorities; some 2,500 regular and reserve troops from the 34 and 35 Canadian Brigade Groups and 5 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group were put on notice. On August 20, a company of the Royal 22e Régiment, led by Major Alain Tremblay, took over three barricades and arrived at the final blockade leading to the disputed area. There, they reduced the stretch of no man's land, originally implemented by the Sûreté du Québec before the barricade at the Pines, from 1.5 kilometres to 5 metres. Additional troops and mechanized equipment mobilized at staging areas around Montreal, while reconnaissance aircraft flew air photo missions over Mohawk territory to gather intelligence. Despite high tensions between the two sides, no shots were exchanged.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oka_Crisis

[Spazito]

4. That's exactly it...

There is a process that needs to be followed and, unfortunately, Ford isn't interested because taking action against the so-called protesters will hurt him with his right wing base.

[Jilly_in_VA]

3. New Zealand

is doing it the right way. They've started arresting the truckers straight off. Can't Trudeau declare a national emergency?

[Spazito]

5. There is the Emergencies Act but it is very specific as to...

what has to be happening:

3 For the purposes of this Act, a national emergency is an urgent and critical situation of a temporary nature that

(a) seriously endangers the lives, health or safety of Canadians and is of such proportions or nature as to exceed the capacity or authority of a province to deal with it, or

(b) seriously threatens the ability of the Government of Canada to preserve the sovereignty, security and territorial integrity of Canada

and that cannot be effectively dealt with under any other law of Canada.

https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/e-4.5/page-1.html

[OneBlueDotS-Carolina]

6. That's a touchy subject.

Trudeau's dad, Pierre did declare a national emergency during the FLQ crisis, using the now-defunct War Measures Act. Justin Trudeau is prime minister due to the support of the Bloc Quebec & the New Democratic Party. Both those parties have very unpleasant memories of Pierre's use of the War measures act. As a PM of a minority government, the only tools he has are limited. Trudeau is dependent on the province of Ontario seeking assistance. The only tool in his toolbox might be the federally administered lands run by the National Capital Commission, these lands are where the trucks are sitting in front of the parliament building in downtown Ottawa.

[Jilly_in_VA]

7. ISTM that where they are blocking the borders

it could be considered a national emergency. It also seems that the way they are acting toward citizens in Ottawa and elsewhere is definitely pretty close to "endangering the lives of Canadians".