Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau laid blame at the feet of the U.S. for ongoing protests by truckers in Ottawa during a press conference Friday.
Trudeau addressed the protests against COVID-19 restrictions which have bogged down business in the Canadian capital for the past two weeks. In his speech, he said he spoke with President Joe Biden about American citizens who have provided funds, supplies and other support to the truckers.
“This morning, I had a direct call with President Biden to talk about our shared challenges at the border. I updated him on the situation, particularly in Windsor,” Trudeau said at the top of his press conference. “We discussed the American, and indeed global influences on the protest. We talked about the U.S.-based flooding of the 911 phone lines in Ottawa, the presence of U.S. citizens in the blockades, and the impact of foreign money to fund this illegal activity.”
“President Biden and I both agreed that for the security of people and the economy, these blockades cannot continue,” he added. “So make no mistake: the border cannot, and will not stay closed.” (RELATED: Video Appears To Show Canadian Police Visiting Home Of Woman Who Supported The Truckers On Facebook)
Some American celebrities, as well as conservative political leaders, have voiced support for the Canadian truckers in their protest. That has included raising money for the truckers, as well as some activists who have crossed the border to join the protesters in person. Friday, Ontario Premier Doug Ford declared a state of emergency as authorities attempt to bring the protests to a peaceful end.