Canada

The CBC reports: RCMP have laid charges against a group of protesters arrested in connection with a blockade at the Coutts, Alta., border crossing as the 11 men and women are set to make their first court appearance Tuesday morning. CBC News has obtained a list of the names and charges of the first 11 protesters to be arrested ahead …

CTV News reports: Ottawa police chief Peter Sloly has resigned, sources confirmed to CTV News Ottawa. Sloly’s resignation comes amid criticism of his handling of the ongoing trucker protests in downtown Ottawa. The protests have reached day 19, with demonstrators encamped on Wellington Street and the surrounding area and showing no signs of leaving. In the midst of the crisis …

CTV News reports: For the first time in Canadian history, the federal government is enacting the Emergencies Act to bring the ongoing trucker convoy protests and blockades to an end. “With each illegal blockade, local law enforcement agencies have been acting to keep the peace within their jurisdiction. Despite their best efforts, it is now clear that there are serious …

The New York Times reports: As of March 1, the province of Ontario will no longer require people show proof of vaccination to enter any indoor spaces, the premier, Doug Ford, announced on Monday morning. In a call with reporters, Mr. Ford said that the change in public policy to rescind the so-called vaccine pass was based on the diminishing …

CTV News reports: Alberta RCMP officers have arrested 11 people and seized a number of weapons including guns and body armour at the Coutts border crossing blockade. The arrests happened early Monday morning after investigators became aware of a small group of people within the larger Coutts protest that had access to a cache of firearms and ammunition, RCMP said. …

The CBC reports: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has told his caucus he will invoke the never-before-used Emergencies Act to give the federal government extra powers to handle the protests across the country, according to sources. Those sources, who were not authorized to speak publicly, said the prime minister will inform the premiers of his decision later today. In a meeting …

The Detroit Free Press reports: The Ambassador Bridge is open again after a vaccine mandate protest prompted a blockade, pausing traffic on a key international land port and costing millions of dollars in lost production. The Detroit International Bridge Company announced Sunday night that the Ambassador Bridge is fully open allowing free flow of commerce between Canada and the United …

CTV News reports: Frustration is growing on day 17 of the “Freedom Convoy” demonstration in downtown Ottawa, with counter-protesters blocking convoys on streets and councillors calling for police and government action. The “Blue Collar Convoy” scheduled to roll into the downtown core Sunday morning was greeted by human blockades at several intersections. A Facebook page said the convoy is, “Blue-collar …

The CBC reports: Officers from multiple police forces began advancing toward protesters on Sunday morning to break up a days-long occupation near the Ambassador Bridge border crossing in Windsor, Ont. A group of protesters opposing pandemic-era laws such as vaccine mandates has been at the bridge since Monday, blocking what is typically Canada’s busiest border crossing. On Friday, a judge …

The CBC reports: Windsor police say their officers and “policing partners” have started enforcement at and near the Ambassador Bridge. “We urge all demonstrators to act lawfully and peacefully,” police said in a tweet. They also advised people to stay away from the area. Police could be seen moving in around 8:30 a.m. While some protesters left, others appeared determined …

CTV News reports: An injunction to remove protesters blocking traffic to the Ambassador Bridge International border crossing in Windsor, Ont. has been granted following an Ontario Superior Court of Justice hearing on Friday. The Automotive Parts Manufacturers’ Association (APMA) and Canadian Vehicle Manufacturers’ Association took the legal step, which was backed by the City of Windsor. The injunction will go …

The CBC reports: RCMP have laid charges under Alberta’s Critical Infrastructure Defence Act against a controversial street preacher who is being blamed for extending the blockade at the Coutts border crossing. Artur Pawlowski of Calgary was arrested after he gave a speech last week at the Smugglers Saloon in Coutts, where protesters have been blocking travel to the United States. …

Finbold reports: As of Friday, February 11, 5,061 donors have given Bitcoin for the truckers on Tallycoin, with a total of over 21 BTC gathered worth roughly $925,340 at the time of publication, as the amount of contributions closes in on $1 million. The campaign is able to receive all Bitcoins directly into crypto wallets in which they keep custody …

The Globe & Mail reports:  The Ontario government is preparing a series of measures in an effort to break the logjam at the Ambassador Bridge and reopen the most important trade link between Canada and the United States, according to two sources with direct knowledge of the plans. Premier Doug Ford [photo] intends to get tough with the protesters, one …

The Windsor Star reports: Crowds at Windsor’s Ambassador Bridge border blockade continued to grow into nightfall. The blockade of bridge traffic from Huron Church Road continued, though police appeared to be directing commercial traffic through an alternate entrance on Wyandotte Street. The Canadian Border Services Agency said current wait times at the border crossing were around 45 minutes. Crowds — …

The Associated Press reports: The Biden administration urged Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government Thursday to use its federal powers to end the truck blockade by Canadians protesting the country’s COVID-19 restrictions, as the bumper-to-bumper demonstration forced auto plants on both sides of the border to shut down or scale back production. For the fourth straight day, scores of truckers taking …

CTV News reports: The Ontario government says it has successfully petitioned a court to freeze access to millions of dollars donated through online fundraising platform GiveSendGo to the truckers convoy protesting COVID-19 restrictions in Ottawa and at several border crossings. A spokeswoman for Premier Doug Ford says Ontario’s attorney general brought the application to the Superior Court of Justice seeking …

The Ottawa Citizen reports: Ottawa-Centre MPP Joel Harden urged the Ontario government to reconvene the legislature to “immediately” begin debating additional emergency measures to deal with the convoy protest. Harden asked government House Leader Paul Calandra to recall the legislature to explore “immediate action” on revoking commercial licences or insurance for protesters, and to take immediate action on building safety …

The Detroit Free Press reports: The trucker protest that closed traffic on the Ambassador Bridge entered its fourth day early Thursday, with increasing disruptions to the auto industry and calls from officials to end it. There’s no indication when the standoff will end, or what — exactly — truckers are seeking. But Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens signaled Thursday that he …

CTV News reports: Donations to an Ottawa homeless shelter have reached about three quarters of a million dollars after protesters from the ‘Freedom Convoy’ harassed staff and volunteers and demanded food from their soup kitchen. More than 13,000 people have donated about $750,000 to the Shepherds of Good Hope since Jan. 30, the head of the shelter announced Thursday. “What …