A CANDIAN COVID CRISIS

On January 29, 2022, thousands of Canadians and hundreds of commercial trucks packed the streets of Ottawa for the beginning of a three-week shutdown of the country's Capitol over COVID-19 restrictions. The protest was in response to Canada's implementation of a regulation preventing unvaccinated truck drivers from crossing the border.

The protest, dubbed "The freedom convoy," spread to popular trade routes creating a chokehold on American and Canadian businesses. Prime Minister Trudeau responded by invoking never-before-used emergency powers via the Emergencies Act. The Emergencies Act gave the government the power to seize trucks and other vehicles used in the protests, seal off the protest strongholds and freeze the bank accounts of anyone involved. On February 18, authorities in riot gear forcefully cleared protestors and arrested truckers that continued blocking roadways.