COVID-19 protests threaten border trade between Canada US

By ROB GILLIES and TRACEY LINDEMAN
Associated Press

OTTAWA, Ontario (AP) — Canadian lawmakers are expressing increasing worry about the economic effects of disruptive COVID-19 demonstrations. They spoke Tuesday after the busiest border crossing between the U.S. and Canada became partially blocked by truckers protesting vaccine mandates and other coronavirus restrictions. The Ambassador Bridge between Detroit and Windsor, Ontario, carries 25 percent of trade between the two countries. Speaking in an emergency debate late Monday in Parliament, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the protesters are trying to blockade the Canadian economy and democracy. The daily demonstrations staged by the so-called Freedom Truck Convoy began in Ottawa, where demonstrators have used hundreds of parked trucks to paralyze parts of the capital for more than 10 days.