The blaring horns and snarled streets of the so-called “Freedom Convoy” blockade in Ottawa are no more, but on Monday Prime Minister Justin Trudeau suggested the work to heal the pandemic divisions in the country that the convoy exposed must now begin.
That comes hours before a vote on the unprecedented invocation of the Emergencies Act in the House of Commons, which two Liberal MPs said Monday will be a confidence vote.
“There’s no doubt that the last weeks have been difficult, that the last years have been painful, and that there are still challenges ahead of us. But we can’t let anger divide us,” said Trudeau in a press conference.
“More than ever, now is the time to work together. It’s also the time to reflect on the kind of future we want for our country. There’s a lesson for all of us in what happened this month. We don’t know when this pandemic is going to end, but that doesn’t mean we cannot start healing as a nation.”
The convoy blockade encamped in Ottawa on Jan. 28. While numbers fluctuated over the next three weeks, many protesters refused to move until a large-scale police operation began on Feb. 18.
Comprised of tactical teams from multiple jurisdictions, the operation involved police moving progressively and methodically in gaining back control of the nation’s capital, street by street, arresting nearly 200 convoy participants in the process. Nearly 400 charges have now been laid.
For weeks though, police as well as local and provincial leaders faced heated criticism for a lack of action in preventing the convoy from encamping, as well as the subsequent lack of enforcement amid what has widely been described as the “lawless” conduct of the convoy.
Police received hundreds of complaints alleging hate-related incidents. They opened more than 100 criminal investigations into alleged harassment, intimidation and assaults on Ottawa residents by the convoy.
On Feb. 14, amid continued lack of action from municipal and provincial authorities, Trudeau announced he was invoking the Emergencies Act — a never-before-used piece of legislation.
2:57 Trucker protests: Police retake control of Parliament Hill
Trucker protests: Police retake control of Parliament Hill
Under the law, the government had to introduce a motion in both the House of Commons and another one in the Senate stating its reasons for doing so. And if that vote — set for Monday night — fails, then the state of emergency in effect under the Act is immediately revoked.
Trudeau was asked twice whether he will declare the vote a matter of confidence, which would up the stakes for the government by putting their authority to govern on the line.
“I have total confidence that the majority of parliamentarians this evening will vote to protect the rule of law,” Trudeau said.
“I can’t imagine that anyone who votes ‘no’ tonight is doing anything other than indicating that they don’t trust the government to make incredibly momentous and important decisions at a very important time.”
He did not, though, give a clear ‘yes’ or ‘no’ as he has done in the past when declaring discretionary confidence votes. A spokesperson for Government House Leader Mark Holland also did not clarify, while Liberal MP Nathaniel Erskine-Smith told the House of Commons on Monday afternoon it would be so.
A second Liberal MP confirmed to Global News the vote will be a confidence matter.
What convoy accounts are being frozen?
Trudeau also did not indicate if the government has an end date in mind for the powers authorized under the Emergencies Act, which will otherwise expire 30 days from Feb. 14.
He said there remains uncertainty about how the convoy participants will respond to the clearing of the downtown core, citing individuals still in the area who are supporting the effort and “pre-positioning.”
Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland also addressed questions over the financial sanctions for supporters of the convoy, and in particular a handful of posts on social media suggesting that people who donated small amounts to the convoy have had their bank accounts frozen.
“It’s important for all of us to be very, very careful to get our facts exactly right in each circumstance,” Freeland said when asked about the reports, some of which have been shared by Conservatives.
“The RCMP has given to the financial institutions names of leaders and organizers of the protest, and of people whose trucks were part of occupations and blockades. That is the only information, according to the RCMP that the RCMP has given to financial institutions.”
Freeland said the power for banks to freeze those accounts only applied as of Feb. 15.
“For anyone who is concerned that their accounts may have been frozen because of their participation in these illegal blockades, the way to get your account unfrozen is to stop being part,” Freeland said.
“These measures were put in place to disrupt illegal blockades.”
3:30 Trucker protests: Freeland says need to be ‘very careful’ on facts over financial measures
Trucker protests: Freeland says need to be ‘very careful’ on facts over financial measures
The RCMP also issued a statement on Monday saying that they have not shared any information of donors with financial institutions.
“Under the Emergency Economic Measures Order (Emergencies Act), the list that was provided to Financial Institutions included identities of individuals who were influencers in the illegal protest in Ottawa, and owners and/or drivers of vehicles who did not want to leave the area impacted by the protest,” the national policing force said.
“At no time, did we provide a list of donors to Financial Institutions. We are now working with the banks to build a process to address the accounts that were frozen.”
Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino said on the weekend that roughly 76 accounts worth a total of $3.2 million have been frozen for supporting the convoy under the new emergency powers.
Debate on a separate motion affirming the Emergencies Act invocation was tabled in the Senate on Monday, with debate expected to start on Tuesday. No date has yet been set for that vote.
With a file from Global’s David Akin.
2:00 ‘The consequences are real’: Freeland says action has begun on cutting off convoy funds
‘The consequences are real’: Freeland says action has begun on cutting off convoy funds
SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — The San Francisco 49ers placed All-Pro running back Christian McCaffrey on injured reserve because of his lingering calf and Achilles tendon injuries.
The move made Saturday means McCaffrey will miss at least four more games after already sitting out the season opener. He is eligible to return for a Thursday night game in Seattle on Oct. 10.
McCaffrey got hurt early in training camp and missed four weeks of practice before returning to the field on a limited basis last week. He was a late scratch for the opener on Monday night against the Jets and now is sidelined again after experiencing pain following practice on Thursday.
McCaffrey led the NFL last season with 2,023 yards from scrimmage and was tied for the league lead with 21 touchdowns, winning AP Offensive Player of the Year.
The Niners made up for McCaffrey’s absence thanks to a strong performance from backup Jordan Mason, who had 28 carries for 147 yards and a touchdown in San Francisco’s 32-19 victory over the New York Jets. Mason is set to start again Sunday at Minnesota.
After missing 23 games because of injuries in his final two full seasons with Carolina, McCaffrey had been healthy the past two seasons.
He missed only one game combined in 2022-23 — a meaningless Week 18 game last season for San Francisco when he had a sore calf. His 798 combined touches from scrimmage in the regular season and playoffs were the third most for any player in a two-year span in the past 10 years.
Now San Francisco will likely rely heavily on Mason, a former undrafted free agent out of Georgia Tech who had 83 carries his first two seasons. He had at least 10 touches just twice before the season opener, when his 28 carries were the most by a 49ers player in a regular-season game since Frank Gore had 31 against Seattle on Oct. 30, 2011.
The Niners also have fourth-round rookie Isaac Guerendo and Patrick Taylor Jr. on the active roster. Guerendo played three offensive snaps with no touches in the opener. Taylor had 65 carries for Green Bay from 2021-23.
San Francisco also elevated safety Tracy Walker III from the practice squad for Sunday’s game against Minnesota.
BRUSSELS – Canada walked away with some hardware at the Diamond League track and field competition Saturday.
Alysha Newman finished third in women’s pole vault, while Marco Arop did the same in the men’s 800-metre race.
Newman won a bronze medal in her event at the recent Paris Olympics. Arop grabbed silver at the same distance in France last month.
Australia’s Nina Kennedy, who captured gold at the Summer Games, again finished atop the podium. Sandi Morris of the United States was second.
Newman set a national record when she secured Canada’s first-ever pole vault medal with a bronze at the Olympics with a height of 4.85 metres. The 30-year-old from London, Ont., cleared 4.80 metres in her second attempt Saturday, but was unable conquer 4.88 metres on three attempts.
Arop, a 25-year-old from Edmonton, finished the men’s 800 metres with a time of one minute 43.25 seconds. Olympic gold medallist Emmanuel Wanyonyi of Kenya was first with a time of 1:42.70.
Djamel Sedjati, edged out by Arop for silver in Paris last month, was second 1:42.87
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 14, 2024.
MILAN (AP) — Bologna’s preparations for its Champions League debut are not going well though it managed to spoil Como’s first Serie A home match in 21 years on Saturday.
Bologna came from two goals down to salvage a 2-2 draw to gather three points from its opening four matches.
Bologna hosts Shakhtar Donetsk on Wednesday. Its only other appearance in Europe’s top competition was in 1964 in the preliminary round of the old European Cup.
AC Milan is also winless as it prepares for a Tuesday Champions League match against Liverpool. The Rossoneri hosted promoted Venezia later. Juventus drew at Empoli 0-0.
Como made a great start in the fifth minute when Patrick Cutrone attempted to roll the ball across the six-yard box but it took a huge deflection off Bologna defender Nicolò Casale for an own goal.
Bologna thought it was gifted a way back into the match on the stroke of halftime when referee Marco Piccinini signalled for a penalty following an Alberto Moreno handball, but he revoked his decision and instead gave a free kick because the handball was just outside the area.
Bologna improved after the break but found itself further behind when Cutrone raced onto a through ball and cut inside past a defender and fired into the far bottom corner.
Tommaso Pobega hit the post for Bologna, which finally pulled one back in the 76th through substitute Santiago Castro.
Another substitute helped the visitors snatch a point when Samuel Iling-Junior curled a fine strike into the top left corner in stoppage time.
Unbeaten sides
Juventus, and more surprisingly Empoli, are among six unbeaten sides.
Empoli held Monza and Bologna to draws either side of a shock 2-1 win at Roma. Juventus’ perfect start to the season was ruined by Roma in a goalless draw before the international break.
On Saturday, there were few clearcut chances in Empoli although home goalkeeper Devis Vásquez made spectacular saves to fingertip out a Federico Gatti header and deny Dusan Vlahovic in a one on one with the Juventus forward.
Empoli had a good opportunity in the 73rd minute following an Alberto Grassi one-two with Pietro Pellegri but the finish was straight at Mattia Perin.
The host could have won it right at the death but Gatti flew in with a great sliding block to keep out Emanuel Gyasi’s close-range effort.
Juventus hosts PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League on Tuesday.
