Prime Minister demands anti-pipeline barricades come down

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says barricades on rail lines and other major transportation routes must come down. Nigel Newlove with why the PM is losing patience.

OTTAWA (NEWS 1130) – Justin Trudeau says it’s been two weeks since rail lines have been blocked and it’s no longer acceptable.

Trudeau says the movement of goods is being affected.

“The barricades must now come down,” he added. “The injunctions must be obeyed and the law must be upheld.”

Trudeau said he’s not ordering police to take down barricades. However, he added, it is the police’s responsibility of police is to enforce laws, and how and when is a part of their responsibility.
“We cannot continue to watch Canadians suffer shortages and layouts,” Trudeau said.

“As a federal government, we have exhausted our capacity to engage in a positive, substantive active way to resolve this.”

The prime minister met with key cabinet ministers in Ottawa in the morning to discuss the ongoing rail blockades across the country.

The demonstrations are being held to show solidarity with protesters from the Wet’suwet’en nation, who oppose a Coastal GasLink natural gas pipeline being built on their territory.

A group of hereditary chiefs from the Wet’suwet’en were meeting with Mohawks near Belleville, Ont. Friday who are blockading the rail line.

The chiefs say they’re willing to speak with the federal government, but only after the RCMP and Coastal GasLink workers have left their traditional lands.

RCMP agreed to move its mobile command post on Wet’suwet’en territory earlier this week,

However, the blockades remain.

A group of Wet’suwet’en chiefs met Friday in Tyendinaga with Mohawk protesters who have been blocking a vital rail corridor.

The Mohawks say they will only peacefully lift the blockade when the RCMP gets completely off the Wet’suwet’en territory, not before that.

 

Top Stories

Top Stories

Most Watched Today