Justin Trudeau says truckers’ protest ‘has to stop’: What you need to know

Picture courtesy: BBC

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau attended an emergency session of Canada’s House of Commons and asserted that the truckers’ strike in Ottawa “has to stop”.

Justin Trudeau said Canadians were "shocked and frankly disgusted" by some protesters' behaviour, which has reportedly included vandalism and racial abuse.

"I want to be very clear - we are not intimidated by those who hurl insults and abuse at small business workers and steal food from the homeless," Mr Trudeau told MPs at an emergency debate in Canada's House of Commons on Monday.

"We won't give in to those who fly racist flags, we won't cave to those who engage in vandalism or dishonour the memory of our veterans."

Trudeau also took to Twitter to attack the protestors again, as he said, “Canadians have the right to protest, to disagree with their government, and to make their voices heard. We’ll always protect that right. But let’s be clear: They don’t have the right to blockade our economy, or our democracy, or our fellow citizens’ daily lives. It has to stop.”

Earlier in the day, leader of the opposition, and interim Conservative Party leader Candice Bergen, in a letter to Trudeau, said that “leadership is about listening”. Instead, she wrote, “Your comments last week have been dismissive about a “fringe” with “unacceptable views”, and since then you have been largely absent.”

As the demonstrations garner global attention, law enforcement action has been scaled up, but organisers of the protests have given no indication that these will be wound down any time soon.