Premier rolls out emergency measures targeting ‘illegal siege’ at Ambassador Bridge

Ontario Premier Doug Ford on Friday declared a provincewide state of emergency and unveiled a series of sweeping measures largely targeted at protesters staging an “illegal occupation” at the foot of the Ambassador Bridge that’s  disrupted traffic access to the vital trade crossing.

After a 7 p.m. deadline in which a court injunction barring protesters from “impeding or blocking access to the Ambassador Bridge and indirect or direct approaching roadways” went into effect, the scene at the bridge remained much as it had all day. Protesters sang the Star Spangled Banner followed by shouts of “freedom.” Earlier they gathered around a FOX reporter and cheered when he went live on air.

In a news release, the city said that police “will collaborate and co-ordinate to assess next steps for ensuring compliance with the court’s order.” No details about how they’ll carry that out will be disclosed, “to ensure the safety and security of all involved.”

Less than an hour after the injunction went into effect, police officers were handing out flyers to the crowd, outlining Ontario’s state of emergency and the measures and penalties that come into effect as of 12:01 a.m. Saturday. It prompted a protester with a megaphone to urge crowds not to accept the papers.

Among new measures introduced by Ford were hefty fines of up $100,000, confiscation of vehicles and the possibility of up to one year in jail for anyone who impedes movement at border crossings, 400-series highways, airports, ports, railways and pedestrian walkways.

The rules are interim for the next several days, but will likely soon be made permanent legislation as Ford plans to quickly convene cabinet so the process of amendments and finalizing the language will begin.

It was thought the legislation could be finalized during spring session.

The province will also “provide additional authority” to take away the commercial and personal licences of anyone who does not comply with the orders.

“The great thing about Canada is free speech,” Ford said. “You have the right to a peaceful protest when you disagree with what the government is doing, but that’s not without reasonable limits.”

The premier said what is occurring in Windsor, along with a two-week ongoing protest in Ottawa, cannot disrupt everyday life or our nation’s trade such as at the Ambassador Bridge which normally handles an estimated $400 million in goods each day.

“That trade helps employ hundreds of thousands of Ontario workers,” Ford said. “Those jobs feed families. While I appreciate the right to protest, that does not extend to cutting off people’s lifelines.”

It was thought that the Superior Court decision granting a court injunction which went into effect at 7 p.m. on Friday was going to also provide police sufficient increased power to remove anyone that “establishes a blockade impeding access to the Ambassador Bridge” and finally allow border traffic in Windsor to resume.

Two protesters present at the base of the bridge for multiple days this week said the ongoing court proceeding didn’t bother them.

“(The Charter of Rights and Freedoms) says we’re allowed peaceful protest,” said one woman, who declined to provide her name. “This is pretty peaceful. It’s like a block party.”

Protesters also set up shop at the intersection of Huron Church Road and Tecumseh Road Friday, where traffic has been sporadically, but not entirely, blocked at points over the last five days.

Ford said he understood the “frustration” and “anger” of many Canadians due to ongoing pandemic restrictions and economic impacts.

Protests involve people “peacefully” making their point and going home, the premier said.

“Very small groups have chosen to take a different path,” Ford said.

He described what has occurred in Ottawa and Windsor as an “illegal siege.”

“My message to those still in Ottawa and those at our border crossings please go home,” he said. “To those of you who have brought your children please take them home.

“It’s time to leave. And it’s time to do so peacefully.”

The premier’s actions come as political and business leaders ramp up pressure to end the blossoming number of protests across Ontario which have disrupted Windsor, Sarnia, Ottawa and other locales, while also wreaking havoc on the economy.

Nowhere has that impact been felt greater than Windsor, given how the Ambassador Bridge normally handles up to $400 million in trade per day transported by an average of up to 8,000 trucks.

Earlier in the day, Ford officials informed Unifor Local 200 that Windsor’s Annex Engine plant will be down all next week due to parts shortages at the plants it supplies.

“It’s a combination of the blockade at the bridge and COVID-19’s impact on the supply chain,” Local 200 vice president Tim Little said. “Our two biggest plants we supply are Detroit Chassis and Ohio Assembly are going to be down because of a parts shortage. Dearborn and Kansas City are also having some issues still.”

“They’ve decided to take our whole supply chain for the week and replenish it before starting back up again.”

The Annex plant supplies the 7.3-litre engine that goes into Ford’s highly profitable F-150 series and heavy-duty truck lines.

Little said the other issue is the Windsor plants aren’t getting enough engine racks back from the U.S. plants. The racks hold three engines each and are transported by truck from Windsor and loaded onto the production lines at the American production facilities.

The empty trailers normally return with a load of empty engine racks to be refilled.

Little said on Thursday the drivers left their empty trailers at the U.S. plants, so they could return home through the Detroit-Windsor tunnel.

Aside from actions by the premier, the Ontario Provincial Police have rolled into Windsor in greater number with the federal government also promising to send RCMP officers to assist end the blockade, which on Friday entered its fifth day.

Standing in the way of the bridge entrance and exits since Monday have been an array of protesters numbering at different times of the day from 50 up to a 200 who have parked about 50 to 75 vehicles on Huron Church Road.

Unlike an ongoing protest in Ottawa, largely being led by truckers opposed to government mandates related to COVID-19, the actions in Windsor have remained unorganized with no clear demands and different factions in attendance with an array of grievances.

Some have opposed the pandemic mandates, many simply direct anger at Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, others are anti-government, while others are focused on climate change. Only a handful of tractor trailers and truckers have been involved.

It has at times become a street party atmosphere on Huron Church Road with a DJ playing music, some playing street hockey, kids playing at a bouncy castle and trampoline set up Thursday, and barbecues preparing food, along with tents and living room furniture on the roadway — normally the nation’s busiest trade corridor dominated by big rig trucks.

dbattagello@postmedia.com

• with files by Chris Thompson and Kate Saylors