Protesters expected to end blockade at Manitoba-U.S. border crossing: RCMP

Manitoba RCMP say they’re confident they’ve reached a resolution with protesters to end the six-day blockade at the Emerson, Man., border crossing.

RCMP says demonstrators who have been calling for the end of COVID-19 restrictions will soon be leaving the area. Police are coordinating the departure and expect that to complete by Wednesday.

The protest in solidarity with the so-called ‘freedom convoy’ in Ottawa has been blocking access to the border crossing since Feb. 10, when protesters parked farm equipment, semi-trailers and other vehicles about two kilometres north of the border.

“Right now it looks like it’s good news. Our negotiators have come to an agreement with the organizers of the event,” said RCMP Sgt. Paul Manaigre.

“It’s a process that will most likely take into tomorrow morning, more likely into lunch hour. As far as everything goes, that is the current plan.”

Mounties said there were about 75 vehicles involved in the blockade as of this past weekend.

Protesters have been allowing emergency vehicles, including police vehicles, as well as some agriculture transports to pass through the blockade.

Police said there have been no arrests and no tickets have been issued.

Officers from the Emerson and Morris RCMP detachments have been at the blockade since it started, and have received assistance from other police units throughout the province.

Manaigre says reaching this agreement on the sixth day of the blockade was the best outcome. But critics are wondering why it took almost a full week to clear protesters from a major entry port.

Manaigre says Manitoba has the luxury of two other ports, which were completely open.

“Yes, it’s frustrating for those that want to take that route instead of doing a detour,” he said. “But like I said, is this not the best result? We have no charges, no arrests, nobody injured, no altercations, we basically had open dialogue since day one and by tomorrow, we expect to have an open highway.”

Dr. Barry Prentice, a professor of supply chain management at the University of Manitoba, says the blockades created extreme annoyances and cost a lot of money.

“The purpose of this protest is to draw attention to what they are doing,” said Prentice. “I just wish they hadn’t interfered with commerce.

“It’s all unnecessary. So unnecessary.”

Prentice says many sectors in the province, including health care, have seen extreme impacts over the last few weeks.

“The cost that we have experienced because of this, for what benefit?” said Prentice. “To stop a few people from crossing the border, for that matter, negotiating with the Americans to let them cross, again I think it’s just a refusal to listen.”

Thank you to the diligent and hard working members of the @rcmpmb for keeping Manitobans safe.
Please see my full statement here: https://t.co/ScgGOg3qLA

— Heather Stefanson (@HStefansonMB) February 15, 2022

Premier Heather Stefanson and Justice Minister Kelvin Goertzen thanked all those involved in resolving the resolution peacefully.

“As we have consistently advised the federal government, local RCMP have always maintained that they have had all the tools and resources required to manage this situation and develop tactical options. The sweeping effect and unprecedented use of the federal Emergencies Act was not and is not required in Manitoba,” said Stefanson and Goertzen in a joint statement.

“We also continue to call on the federal government to help ease tensions across our nation by clearly communicating a plan and timetable to relax all border measures for the benefit of all Canadians, including the mandate for truckers, and by collaboratively re-engaging with the U.S. President Joe Biden’s administration on these overdue goals.”

As for whether or not Manitoba could see protests of this magnitude in the future, Manaigre says this is a unique situation.

“We’re thankful here in Emerson that everything played out perfectly,” he said. “It’s unfortunate that it came to six days, but we have to let the process play itself out. Every situation going forward in the future is going to be different but going to be the same idea.

“There will be dialogue, hopefully a resolution, that’s all something that is going to play to the situation in front of you.”

—With files from The Canadian Press.