Trudeau Warns Canada's Trucker Protesters, 'It's Time to Go Home Now'

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau issued a stern warning to protesters who have set up truck blockades to express their opposition to government mandates regarding COVID-19, saying, "We've heard you. It's time go home now."

His remarks came hours after Ontario’s premier declared a state of emergency in reaction to the truck blockades in Ottawa and at the U.S. border. Trudeau and Premier Doug Ford are threatening heavy penalties against those who interfere with the free flow of goods and people.

Since Monday, scores of drivers protesting Canada's COVID-19 restrictions and venting their rage against Trudeau have bottled up the Ambassador Bridge connecting Windsor, Ontario, to Detroit, disrupting the auto industry on both sides of the border. Hundreds more truckers have paralyzed downtown Ottawa over the past two weeks.

Earlier on Friday, Ford said he will convene the provincial cabinet on Saturday to urgently enact measures that make it “crystal clear” it is illegal to block critical infrastructure. Violators will face up to a year in prison and a maximum fine of $100,000, he said.

The measures will also provide additional authority “to consider taking away the personal and commercial licenses of anyone who doesn’t comply," according to the premier's office.

Separately, the mayor of Windsor asked for an injunction Friday afternoon to try to break up the bridge blockade, as parts shortages caused by the protest forced General Motors, Ford, Toyota and Honda to close auto plants or cancel shifts. A judge began hearing evidence.

Federal, provincial and local authorities have hesitated to forcibly remove the self-proclaimed Freedom Convoy protesters there and elsewhere around the country, reflecting apparently a lack of manpower by local police, Canada's reverence for free speech, and fear of violence. Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens warned earlier this week that some of the truckers are “willing to die.”

But the political pressure to reopen the bridge appeared to be mounting along with the economic toll. The Biden administration has urged Trudeau’s government to end the blockade, and Michigan's governor likewise called for a quick resolution to the standoff.

The Ambassador Bridge is the busiest U.S.-Canadian border crossing, carrying 25% of all trade between the two countries.

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