The federal government is prepared to invoke the Emergencies Act to see the trucker convoy protests and blockades end, says Emergency Preparedness Minister Bill Blair, calling it a “critical situation,” while also saying that police need to “do their job.”<\/p>\n
But first, the government says it is working with the provinces, particularly Ontario, given the ongoing crisis in the nation\u2019s capital, to ensure that level of government has exhausted its options.<\/p>\n
Ontario Premier Doug Ford declared a state of emergency in the province on Friday, invoking new emergency measures to levy stiffer fines and penalties on protesters, including a maximum penalty of $100,000 and up to a year imprisonment for non-compliance.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen circumstances exceed the capacity of the provinces to manage it under their authorities, we\u2019re quite prepared to use additional authorities that are available to the federal government,\u201d said Blair, adding that the federal government is in \u201cconstant contact\u201d with Ontario.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe closing of our borders, the targeting on critical infrastructure, particularly our points of entry by the people behind these protests, is a significant national security threat to this country, and we have to do what is necessary to end it.\u201d<\/p>\n