Trudeau: Emergency powers still needed amid signs of new blockade
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says his government still needs temporary emergency powers, citing "real concerns".
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Trudeau said there were signs some truckers were regrouping outside Ottawaز
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said that his government still needs the temporary emergency powers that were invoked last Monday, citing "real concerns" that the protests may restart.
In a televised news conference, the Prime Minister said there were signs the truckers were regrouping outside the Canadian capital, Ottawa, and might attempt to restart the protests.
Initially, the protestors were looking to end cross-border COVID vaccines for truck drivers, but the protests turned into demonstrations against Trudeau and the Liberal government.
Trudeau's Emergencies Act gave authorities more powers to stop demonstrations in Ottawa and the blockades of Canadian-US border crossings, which resulted in damages to the auto industry.
"This state of emergency is not over. There continue to be real concerns about the coming days," Trudeau told reporters.
Police had spent two days clearing protestors from downtown Ottawa, made 191 arrests, and towed 79 vehicles.
"Right now ... people (are) out there indicating that they are ready to blockade, to continue their illegal occupations to disrupt Canadians' lives. We feel that this measure needs to remain in place," he said.
Critics say Trudeau is abusing his powers. Canadian MP Dean Allison condemned Trudeau's actions, calling them "authoritarian military style measures".
