Alberta law experts weigh in on Coutts border blockade
Global News
As the situation remains fluid near the Coutt's border crossing, a former Alberta RCMP officer and security expert believes negotiations could still lead to a peaceful resolution.
As the situation remains fluid near the Coutts border crossing due to ongoing demonstrations, a former Alberta RCMP officer and security expert believes negotiations could still lead to a peaceful resolution.
“As long as there’s dialogue going on,” said Neil LeMay with Global Enterprise Security Risk Management.
“As long as there’s an opening for a resolution in the reasonably near future, and I mean days, not months, I think you’ll see police defer to negotiation and persuasion.”
On Wednesday, as demonstrations continued into their fifth day, protesters agreed to open two lanes of traffic on Highway 4 — one going north and one going south.
“In a tremendous show of good faith, they are reopening one lane each way to provide unimpeded access through the town of Coutts and across the border in both ways,” said Chad Williamson, a lawyer representing truckers blocking access to the border crossing at Coutts.
“That doesn’t mean the protest is over, but it signals what we hope to be ongoing cordial efforts to address the concerns of the people who have been involved in the movement down here in Coutts.”
In a news release, RCMP said the lanes opening will allow for residents to have freedom of movement, school bussing that was impacted to be reinstated, emergency services to provide full services, border access and the flow of goods and services to resume.
While there is some progress, LeMay said that if demonstrators impede traffic and the flow of goods and services, there could be arrests.
