(OTTAWA) Deploying the military to quell occupations and blockades is a “last, last, last, last, last resort” solution, but it cannot be completely ruled out, Justin Trudeau said Friday.
Posted at 2:37 p.m.
Updated at 3:36 p.m.
Sending soldiers against Canadian civilians is “something to be avoided at all costs”, and moreover, we have not yet reached that point, insisted the Prime Minister at a press conference in parliament, the first that he had been offering since last Thursday.
“It’s a last, last, last, last, last resort. Obviously, in a situation like this, we must be prepared for any eventuality. […] There are so many other steps that we can, and that we are using, we haven’t gotten there yet. Far from it,” he said forcefully.
But one thing is certain, the illegal occupation and blockades at entry points on the Canada-U.S. border are hurting the economy, and they must end immediately, he insisted, as the Canadian capital has been paralyzed by the “freedom convoy” for two weeks.
He urged protesters to go home because their actions are hurting the economy, workers and Canadian families. He would not predict when the impasse might be resolved, saying he feared violence could break out.
On the other hand, he said that more “robust” actions were to be expected, saying he welcomed the announcement made earlier by Premier Doug Ford, who is preparing to declare a state of emergency in his province. This measure is “responsible” and “necessary”, he noted.
The “best solution”, however, remains “for people to decide that they have been heard, they have been able to express their frustration, their disagreement, and that now is the time to go home”, pleaded the first Canadian minister.
“They are starting to see that there are going to be real consequences […] if they get arrested,” he continued.
“Nearly 50%” of donations from the United States
The Prime Minister indicated that he had discussed the issue of the blockages on the telephone with the President of the United States, Joe Biden, and that the two are on the same wavelength, that is to say that they want this to stop.
The two men also discussed the fact that the 911 lines from Ottawa by calls from the United States, the presence of American citizens on Canadian soil, funding from abroad. Funds cannot be used for illegal activities, and the banks are on the lookout, insisted Justin Trudeau.
“I don’t have those details in front of me right now, but I’ve heard that on some platforms, almost 50% of donations come from the United States,” he offered at the microphone. On the number of United States citizens who are in Canada, he said only that law enforcement is monitoring it closely.
According to a White House account, President Biden “expressed concern that American businesses and workers are facing serious consequences, including slowdowns in production, reduced work hours and shutdowns. of factories”.
In the streets of downtown Ottawa, which is on day 15 of the occupation, horns began to sound sporadically again on Friday, after a lull of a few days which was made possible thanks to a citizen injunction. .
Police expect protesters to swell the ranks of truckers for a third weekend in a row.