Coronavirus: What's happening in Canada and around the world on Wednesday
CBC
The latest:
Some organizers of a convoy protest around Parliament Hill, which began as opposition to mandatory vaccination for cross-border truckers, said Wednesday they plan to remain "for as long as it takes." Meanwhile, protesting truckers have partially reopened a highway blockade at the southern Alberta border.
In Ottawa, the protest has included vehicles parked and honking on roads leading to Parliament Hill since Friday. In recent days there have been reports of Ottawa residents feeling anxious and fearful amid the ongoing protest.
Police have announced three arrests for offences they say are related to the protests. In a briefing to city councillors Wednesday afternoon, Ottawa's police Chief Peter Sloly said policing alone might not solve the occupation of the city's downtown core, and military aid might be necessary.
The scope of the road closures and size of the area city officials say to avoid have dropped since Saturday, when police estimated crowds of between 5,000 and 18,000 people, but both still take up swaths of residential and business districts. Many businesses have chosen to close.
On Wednesday, some protest organizers said they have empathy for the city's residents, but insisted there's no other way to end all COVID-19 public health mandates across Canada.
"Our message to the citizens of Ottawa is one of empathy," wrote Chris Barber, who said he's a senior convoy leader, in a Wednesday morning news release.
"We understand your frustration and genuinely wish there was another way for us to get our message across, but the responsibility for your inconvenience lies squarely on the shoulders of politicians who have [preferred] to vilify and call us names rather than engage in respectful, serious dialogue."
The news release also said the protesters plan to remain "for as long as it takes."
Meanwhile, there was a potential breakthrough in resolving a blockade that has snarled cross-border traffic at the main U.S.-Canada border crossing in the village of Coutts, Alta.
The protest of trucks lined up in front of the border checkpoint — the primary conduit for the approximately $6 billion in trade between Alberta and the U.S. — has halted all traffic at that location of Highway 4 since Saturday. The demonstration is tied to the nationwide protest over the federal vaccine mandate for cross-border truckers, which took effect last month.
Chad Williamson, a lawyer representing truckers blocking access to the crossing, said on Wednesday they had spoken with RCMP and agreed to open a lane of the highway in each direction. Trucks and other vehicles began clearing paths.
"The truckers finally feel like their message has been heard," Williamson said. "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.
Later Wednesday, the United Conservative Party denied that its rural caucus has negotiated an agreement to temporarily end the blockade in exchange for discussions on lifting COVID-19 health restrictions.