Trucker Convoy Exposes Divisions in Canada
It was the largest law enforcement operation in Canadian history.
The trucker convoy that started from frustrations over vaccine mandates and lockdowns was broken up in a joint police effort as the protest entered its fourth weekend in Ottawa.
The protesters vowed to hold the line, but after days of police pressure with nearly 200 arrests, tear gas and pepper spray to clear the crowds, and bank accounts of key players frozen, organizer Tom Marazzo told the protesters to retreat peacefully.
Context spoke with Marazzo about what unfolded in Ottawa and what is next for the movement.
More than two weeks after the truckers arrived in the capital city, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau invoked the Emergency Act for the first time.
Beyond disrupting the quiet streets of Ottawa, the blockades expanded to border crossings – first in Coutts, Alberta and notably in Windsor, Ontario – costing millions in trade and prompting Premier Doug Ford to take action.
While the blockades are cleared, protest organizers vow they are still fighting for their cause.
In the aftermath of the Freedom Convoy, one thing is clear: Canadians are divided on many fronts.
This week on Context, how can we be peacekeepers in an era of division?
