Trudeau discusses Canada-wide anti-mandate blockades in Sunday night meeting

In response to the ongoing protests in the capital and across Canada, the Prime Minister is chairing a meeting Sunday night with law enforcement to discuss and respond.

Blockades were posted at several borders this weekend because of the so-called “freedom convoy protest.”

Justin Trudeau, along with politicians and law enforcement, has already had several meetings to end the widespread demonstrations.

Today, I convened another Incident Response Group meeting. We covered further actions the government can take to help end the blockades and occupations. We’ll keep working urgently on this – to protect jobs, public safety, our neighbourhoods, and our economy.

— Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) February 14, 2022

After the last meeting, police in Ottawa set up a command center to respond to the escalating occupation.

A release says Trudeau and his ministers are discussing further immediate actions they are considering.

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In B.C., four people were arrested for mischief at the protest near the Pacific Highway Border Crossing in Surrey.

The highway remains blocked off by police on 176 Street and its feeder routes, but RCMP say some of the vehicles and protesters who stayed on the street overnight have now packed up and left the area.

Though the RCMP say in a release that the “border crossing remains closed,” the Canadian Border Services Agency has confirmed it is still open, but suggests travellers use a different crossing if possible.
Meanwhile, in Windsor, Ont, a number of arrests have been made in connection to the days-long protest near the Ambassador Bridge.

Windsor Police Chief Pamela Mizuno says officers have made between 25 and 30 arrests, seized five vehicles today and towed seven vehicles yesterday.
Mizuno says the police service’s focus is to reopen roadways, but officers are trying to do so in a “safe and sustainable” way.
She says police are still working on their operational plans, but their main goals are to restore traffic flow in the area and reopen the bridge.
Mizuno says there will be criminal consequences for those who interfere with or interrupt traffic flow in the area by the bridge.
The mayor of Ottawa says the city has struck a deal with protesters who have jammed downtown streets for more than two weeks that will see them move out of residential areas in the next 24 hours.