The Mohawks of Tyendinga installed two barricades on the railway which has paralyzed the transportation of goods in the country for almost three weeks. They were warned yesterday to dismantle the facilities before midnight, or face charges.
Images relayed by several Canadian media show a dozen OPP SUVs and an ambulance that arrived in the area shortly after 8:00 a.m. this morning to end the blockade and make arrests. Some protesters were handcuffed.
“The barricades must be lifted,” said Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in a much-anticipated press briefing on Friday. Trudeau had specified that the decision to intervene by the police would be up to the police forces overseeing the jurisdictions where the disturbance actions take place.
Justin Trudeau held talks with Prime Ministers Francois Legault, Doug Ford, and John Horgan on Sunday about the blockages.
“The Prime Minister informed the Premiers of measures taken to meet basic needs in Canada, including the supply of propane, chemicals needed to treat drinking water and essential agricultural products. We will remain in close contact with the provinces to respond to urgent needs, as necessary, and will continue to support concerted efforts to resolve the situation, “said Ottawa.
Premiers “Reaffirmed Commitment” to Peaceful Solution
An intervention that risks getting worse, according to Blanchet
“The duty of the Prime Minister of Canada is not to request the intervention of the provincial police forces, but on the contrary, to do everything to avoid it! “Said the leader of the Bloc Quebecois, Yves-Francois Blanchet.
Yves-Francois Blanchet returned to his “roadmap” to get out of the crisis, which notably included the withdrawal of the RCMP from wet’suwet’en territory.
“I understand the impatience of CN and the Premier of Ontario who is imposing an ultimatum, which expires at midnight this Sunday, on the demonstrators who obstruct the railway in Belleville. However, there is reason to fear that this attempt to get out of a crisis that the Canadian government has not been able to manage would, on the contrary, have the effect of making it worse. ”
Blanchet has returned to its “road map” to get out of the crisis, which includes the withdrawal of the RCMP from Wet’suwet’en territory, the temporary suspension of work on the Coastal Gaslink pipeline, and the creation of a “table of lasting discussion ”to mediate between the parties.
“Not only is this plan likely to remove the barricades, but it confers on the government a moral authority which it seems rather have renounced and offered the provinces and Quebec the best chance of avoiding the use of force to restore rail traffic, “he added.
“It is not too late,” concludes Blanchet.
