Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau declared a state of emergency on Monday to quell the paralysing protests by truckers and others enraged by Canada’s COVID-19 restrictions, laying out plans to not only tow away their rigs but also to strike at their bank accounts and livelihoods.
“These blockades are illegal, and if you’re still involved, the time to leave is now,” he declared.
Trudeau ruled out using the military by invoking Canada’s Emergencies Act, which gives the federal government broad powers to restore order.
Instead, his government threatened to tow trucks away to keep key utilities running, to freeze truckers’ personal and business bank accounts, and to stop their rigs’ insurance.
“Think of yourself as forewarned,” added Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland. “Return your rigs.”
The government will also widen its anti-money-laundering legislation to target crowd-funding platforms that are being used to promote the unlawful blockades, according to Freeland, who is also the finance minister.
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