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Trucks blocking streets in downtown Ottawa Alamy Stock Photo

Canadian judge orders an end to lorry blockade at border bridge

The stand-off has entered its fifth day.

LAST UPDATE | 11 Feb 2022

A CANADIAN JUDGE has ordered protesters at the Ambassador Bridge over the US-Canadian border to end the five-day-old blockade that has disrupted the flow of goods between the two countries.

It was not immediately clear when or if law enforcement officers would be sent in to remove the demonstrators, who parked their pick-ups and other vehicles in a protest against the country’s Covid-19 restrictions and an outpouring of fury toward Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his Liberal government.

Chief Justice Geoffrey Morawetz of the Ontario Superior Court said during a virtual hearing that the order would be effective at 7pm to give protesters time to leave.

Windsor police immediately warned that demonstrators blocking the streets could be subject to arrest and their vehicles may be seized.

The decision came after a four-and-a-half hour court hearing at which the city of Windsor and lawyers for car parts makers argued that the blockade was causing undue economic harm for the city and region.

Supporters of the protesters, some of them truckers, argued that an order would disrupt their right to peacefully protest against vaccine mandates that hinder their ability to earn a living.

Since Monday, drivers mostly in pick-up trucks have bottled up the bridge connecting Windsor to Detroit. Hundreds more truckers have paralysed Ottawa over the past two weeks.

The ruling came in a day of fast-moving developments as federal, provincial and local officials moved simultaneously on different fronts to try to break the so-called Freedom Convoy stand-off.

“This unlawful activity has to end and it will end,” Trudeau warned just hours earlier.

“We heard you. It’s time to go home now,” the prime minister said, cautioning that “everything is on the table” for ending the blockades.

Also today, Ontario Premier Doug Ford declared a state of emergency and threatened heavy penalties against those who interfere with the free flow of goods and people.

Ford said he will convene the provincial cabinet tomorrow 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 dollars, he said.

“There will be consequences for these actions, and they will be severe,” Ford said. “This is a pivotal, pivotal moment for our nation.”

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.

Trudeau called Ontario’s decision “responsible and necessary” and said he spoke with US President Joe Biden about it.

“We discussed the American and indeed global influences on the protest,” Trudeau said. “We talked about the US-based flooding of the 911 phone lines in Ottawa, the presence of US citizens in the blockade and the impact of foreign money to fund this illegal activity.”

Trudeau said that on some fundraising platforms, as much as 50% of the donations are coming from the US.

He said he and Biden agreed that “for the security of people and the economy, these blockades can’t continue. So make no mistake: The border cannot and will not remain closed.”

Trudeau said he understands the protesters are frustrated by the pandemic, but “these blockades are hurting everyday families, auto assembly workers, farmers, truckers, blue-collar Canadians.”

The protests have caused shortages of car parts that have forced General Motors, Ford, Toyota and Honda to close plants or cancel shifts.

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    Mute in_zane_burger
    Favourite in_zane_burger
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    Apr 2nd 2014, 3:06 PM

    Can I have my money back now

    32
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    Mute padser123
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    Apr 2nd 2014, 3:33 PM

    It’s like’…..burning your furniture – to keep warm!

    23
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    Mute Paul Roche
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    Apr 2nd 2014, 4:52 PM

    Why are PwC saying this instead of IBRC and NAMA?

    11
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    Mute Philip
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    Apr 2nd 2014, 5:20 PM

    As property prices start to rise nama , ibrc start to dump property

    Can someone explain why?

    9
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    Mute Dara O'Brien
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    Apr 2nd 2014, 5:56 PM

    Dumping loans philip, not property. They’re Dumping the loans as they’re non-performing and want to get them off the balance sheet.

    If they had the patience, they’d put arrangements in place to allow the properties to return to positive equity and then seek a sale, this recouping more of the tax payers money.

    Unfortunately, they’ll sell the loans for a discount and allow the new purchasers to do this and net a tidy profit.

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    Mute Garry Coll
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    Apr 2nd 2014, 5:02 PM

    The article outlines that IBRC (IBROKE would probably be a better name) will offload € 15 billion in loans.
    Yet the linked article tells us that IBROKE have already offloaded 90% of its loanbook, € 19.8 billion out of € 21.7 billion leaving just € 1.9 billion on hand.
    This can only mean, if the previous article is correct, that it is NAMA that is offloading the majority of the loans.
    Why the subterfuge?
    Why make people think that this is some kind of joint enterprise when it is NAMA that is leading the charge?
    Have the shiny suit brigade from the canal something to hide?
    Given their obsession with secrecy it would not surprise me if they have, perhaps selling the loans to some preferred customer with an inside track at a serious discount.
    The way things go it will all be wrapped up before we know anything, plus ça change.

    9
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    Mute Irish Revolution
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    Apr 2nd 2014, 2:58 PM

    Who in their right mind would buy this junk?

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    Mute Padraig McHale
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    Apr 2nd 2014, 3:01 PM

    It might only be worth 30% of face value but if you buy it for 20% it’s a good deal. For the buyer anyway.

    32
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    Mute Tony
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    Apr 2nd 2014, 3:06 PM

    @ Irish Revolution

    The Banks?

    14
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    Mute Deirdre McDonnell
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    Apr 3rd 2014, 2:42 AM

    Hedge funds bought it. They will now sell off all the ghost estates etc at a lower price so people that have houses for sale at the min will eventually have to sell for half or take them off the market.
    Fab house here in drogheda asking price €325. Hilarious. You could now nearly get a house for that on raglan road or ailsbury road!! So that house is realistically worth less than €150 really.
    People and notions ha

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    Mute Vanessa Doyle
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    Apr 2nd 2014, 7:04 PM

    What about Bank of Scotland selling on my mortgage & others in their Irish portfolio to a company called Tanager Ltd.
    I’m in a tizzy all day because I don’t know what it means for us.

    3
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