CN Track Blockades across Canada

Thursday, 20 February 2020 09:22

A blockade was erected at the CN tracks in St. Lambert, south of Montreal, around noon yesterday.

Protesters say in a statement they are acting in solidarity with the "Wet'suwet'en" in northern B.C. and will remain in place until the RCMP leaves their territory.

Quebec Premier Francois Legault says he wants Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to issue an ultimatum to protesters to take down blockades across the country within days.

The Conservatives have put a motion of no-confidence in the government on the House of Commons order paper.

Their House leader Candice Bergen says the Opposition has no faith in the Liberals' ability to end the transportation blockades over a natural-gas pipeline in B.C.

The motion would require the support of all the opposition parties to bring down Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and force an election, though, and two of the leaders of those parties all but dismissed the idea.

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh called the motion "ridiculous," and said an election would plunge Canada into further crisis.

An emergency injunction will be heard in an Edmonton courtroom this afternoon to address a blockade that has been set up on a CN rail line on the western edge of the city.

A group called "Cuzzins" for "Wet'suwet'en" says it intends to maintain the blockade until Prime Minister Justin Trudeau intervenes and the RCMP leaves "Wet'suwet'en" territory.

CN says in a statement that trains are stopped and they will be taking necessary legal actions.

Alberta Premier Jason Kenney calls the extended protests of Canada's rail lines "anarchy," and he says he expects police to enforce court orders.

The CN line on the outskirts of Edmonton is being blocked by protesters in solidarity with "Wet'suwet'en" hereditary chiefs who oppose a natural gas pipeline running through their B.C. territory.

Premier Kenney says the illegal protests are shutting down large parts of the Canadian economy and putting public health and safety in danger.

The premier says reconciliation doesn't mean allowing a couple of people to shut down the national economy, it means listening with respect and ensuring that Indigenous people can benefit from responsible development.

Alberta's Justice Minister issued a response on Twitter, calling the blockade "an offence and will not be tolerated," and adding that the province will not be "economic hostages to law-breaking extremists."

Via Rail says it is temporarily laying off 1,000 employees due to blockades that continue to stop service on CN tracks in Eastern Canada.

The Crown corporation has suspended passenger trains on its Montreal-Toronto and Ottawa-Toronto routes for about two weeks in the wake of protests that have disrupted rail service across the country.

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