Facing calls to do more, Trudeau says trucker convoy 'has to stop'

As the trucker convoy protests stretch into their second week in the nation's capital, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is calling for the demonstrations to end, while his government fields requests to play a role in seeing control restored in the city as the anti-COVID-19 mandate demonstrators dig in.

“It has to stop,” Trudeau said during an emergency debate in the House of Commons on Monday night. “Everyone's tired of COVID, but these protests are not the way to get through it.”

In his address Trudeau vowed his government will “be there” to meet the requests for assistance, as pressure ramps up for all levels of authorities to get on the same page to see control restored in the city as the anti-COVID-19 mandate demonstrators dig in.

“People of Ottawa don't deserve to be harassed in their own neighbourhoods, don’t deserve to be confronted with the inherent violence of a swastika flying on a street corner, or a confederate flag, or the insults and jeers just because they're wearing a mask. That's not who Canadians are,” the prime minister said. “These pandemic restrictions are not forever.”

After a second weekend of protests and an uptick in tickets and arrests, the mayor of Ottawa declared a state of emergency on Sunday. As of Monday evening, hundreds of trucks continue to clog streets throughout the city and organizers show no signs of packing up.