Ontario Premier Doug Ford said it's time to let the people of Ottawa get back to their lives, and for the truckers involved in the Freedom Convoy protests to go home. Ford said that the gridlocking of Ottawa has harmed restaurants in the area, who have been closed due to his COVID-inspired restrictions for "a while now."
"There's a million people that live in Ottawa. I hear you. I hear the protestors. The province hears the protestors. The country hears the protestors. Now it's time to let the people in Ottawa get back to their lives," said Ford.
"These businesses that have been closed for a while now—the restaurants want to reopen. I get it. I hear you, but we have to let the people of Ottawa live their lives."
Ford reached out to Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson, who shared his sentiments during a press conference Monday. He said the city is "doing everything possible to bring this to an end peacefully," and said the protestors had worn out their welcome.
"You've had your moment, your 15 minutes," Watson said. "Time to move on. Give back our city to our residents and you go on your way to your community."
Watson said that police would not be moving to ticket or tow the truckers.
"I get a lot of emails and tweets, 'Why don't you just send in the tow trucks, send in the parking control people?'" he said. "We're not interested in inflaming the situation."
"The last thing we need is to have some behaviour that creates a mini-riot. We don't want that to happen. We don't want to see bloodshed."
"It should have ended a long time ago. They've made their point. They had their rally. They embarrassed themselves with some of the actions of some of the people in the crowd, but it's now time for them to go home and allow our community to regroup and rebuild, particularly given the fact that we're still in the midst of a pandemic," Watson stated, directing the protestors to leave.
Ford's top Ottawa cabinet minister Lisa MacLeod also tweeted that "the residents and families of Ottawa need to return to work and school."
"To the protestors remaining - you’ve been heard - please go home," MacLeod said.
The residents and families of Ottawa need to return to work and school. To the protestors remaining - you’ve been heard - please go home.
— Lisa MacLeod (@MacLeodLisa) January 31, 2022
Yesterday, Ford condemned the actions of some members of the protest who vandalized monuments. "I was extremely disturbed, however, to see some individuals desecrate our most sacred monuments and wave swastikas and other symbols of hate and intolerance this weekend," he said.
"That has no place in Ontario or Canada. Not now. Not ever."
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