Trudeau blames Americans for trucker protest, crisis inside Canada

In an extraordinary response to the crisis gridlocking Canada, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Friday blamed Americans for the trucker convoy protesting his country's COVID restrictions and blocking traffic at the Windsor border crossing separating the two countries.

Trudeau, whose administration has been stung by the global outpouring for the truckers, made his comments after a conversation with President Joe Biden in which both leaders vowed to reopen the border. 

“This morning, I had a direct call with President Biden to talk about our shared challenges at the border," Trudeau said. "I updated him on the situation, particularly in Windsor,” Trudeau said. “We discussed the American, and indeed global influences on the protest. We talked about the U.S.-based flooding of the 911 phone lines in Ottawa, the presence of U.S. citizens in the blockades, and the impact of foreign money to fund this illegal activity.”

“President Biden and I both agreed that for the security of people and the economy, these blockades cannot continue,” he added. “So make no mistake: the border cannot, and will not stay closed.”

As Trudeau made his comments, Chief Justice Geoffrey Morawetz of the Ontario Superior Court order the protesters to end their blockade of the Ambassador Bridge that carries nearly a third of U.S.-Canada commerce.