Canada’s House of Commons is exceptionally closed on Friday for security reasons, as police prepare to free the streets of downtown Ottawa, which have been paralyzed for almost three weeks by truckers opposed to sanitary measures, announced parliamentary officials.
“A police operation is planned on Wellington Street and other places in downtown Ottawa”, “today’s (Friday) sitting is cancelled”, announced Anthony Rota, Speaker of the House of the municipalities, in a press release. This is the first time since the start of this dispute, which began at the end of January and which is mainly taking place before the Federal Parliament, that its work has been suspended.
“If you are not (already) present on the premises of the House of Commons, stay away from the city center until further notice”, further specified Anthony Rota. “If you are already within the buildings, please remain inside the building and await instructions from the officers of the Parliamentary Protective Service,” he continued.
Back to work on Saturday
Mark Holland, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons, told AFP that the House hoped “to be able to resume work on Saturday”.
“The House will do its job and MPs will vote early next week on the Emergencies Act motion,” he added. This debate began Thursday following the invocation of this provision Monday by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
It is only the second time that this provision has been used in peacetime, the last time dating back to the crisis of 1970 when Pierre Elliott Trudeau, the father of the current Prime Minister, was in power.
A security perimeter erected around the city center
Canadian police announced Thursday that their intervention to unblock the streets of Ottawa, paralyzed by hundreds of trucks, was imminent. In the evening, she arrested two leaders of the movement.
A security perimeter has been erected around the city center and around a hundred roadblocks are used to control entry into the area.
Following recommendations from Parliamentary Security, the Speaker and House Leaders of all parties have agreed to cancel today’s sitting, Mark Holland, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons, told AFP. .