Windsor police respond to release of Emergencies Act documents; say too many 'sub-groups' of blockade protestors to negotiate an end
Court documents released in Ottawa indicate the most pressing issue for the federal government in Feb. 2022 was the removal of the blockade at the foot of the Ambassador Bridge.
The documents, released Thursday, were filed in federal court as part of a legal challenge to the government’s use of the Emergencies Act.
The blockade at the foot of the Huron Church access to the Ambassador Bridge started on Feb. 7 and was in place until police action dismantled it over the weekend of Feb. 12 and 13.
The court documents also detail the possibility of negotiations between the City of Ottawa and “illegal blockaders” leading to “a potential for a breakthrough” in Ottawa that would have seen protestors clear the streets surrounding Parliament Hill in exchange for the opportunity to speak with the government.
Ultimately, negotiations were unsuccessful and the federal government invoked the Emergencies Act for the first time in Canadian history on Feb. 14.
In Windsor, the Automotive Parts Manufacturers’ Association and Canadian Vehicle Manufacturer’ Association applied for a court injunction, which was backed by the City of Windsor, to have the bridge blockade cleared.
The injunction was granted on Feb. 11, the day before officers from multiple law enforcement agencies converged on the blockade and cleared the protesters at the foot of the Ambassador Bridge.
In a statement, Windsor police said officers engaged daily and continuously with local protestors and attempted to identify the leaders of the blockade, in the hopes of peacefully resolving the situation.
“Yet as previously stated, it was difficult to end the blockade as many sub-groups within the main body of the protest had differing views," the statement reads.
"Although discussions were positive, there was never an agreed-upon decision to remove the barricades by the demonstrators.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Amid concerns over 'collateral damage' Trudeau, Freeland defend capital gains tax change
Facing pushback from physicians and businesspeople over the coming increase to the capital gains inclusion rate, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his deputy Chrystia Freeland are standing by their plan to target Canada's highest earners.
Widow looking for answers after Quebec man dies in Texas Ironman competition
The widow of a Quebec man who died competing in an Ironman competition is looking for answers.
Tom Mulcair: Park littered with trash after 'pilot project' is perfect symbol of Trudeau governance
Former NDP leader Tom Mulcair says that what's happening now in a trash-littered federal park in Quebec is a perfect metaphor for how the Trudeau government runs things.
Train derailed in Sarnia after colliding with a truck
Police are investigating after a transport truck collided with a train in Sarnia.
Fewer medical students going into family medicine contributing to doctor shortage
As some family doctors are retiring and others are moving away from family medicine, there are fewer medical students to take their place.
'It's discriminatory': Individuals refused entry to Ontario legislature for wearing keffiyeh
Individuals being barred from entering Ontario’s legislature while wearing a keffiyeh say the garment is part of their cultural identity— and the only ones making it political are the politicians banning it.
Bodies found by U.S. authorities searching for missing B.C. kayakers
United States authorities who have been searching for a pair of missing kayakers from British Columbia since the weekend have recovered two bodies in the nearby San Juan Islands of Washington state.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.
Photographer alleges he was forced to watch Megan Thee Stallion have sex and was unfairly fired
A photographer who worked for Megan Thee Stallion said in a lawsuit filed Tuesday that he was forced to watch her have sex, was unfairly fired soon after and was abused as her employee.