The continuing blockades of critical infrastructure by trucker-led protesters demanding the removal of all Covid-19 mandates is undermining Canada’s international reputation and could have “serious economic and reputational consequences for the years ahead,” warns the Canadian Chamber of Commerce and dozens of business organizations from across the country.
“The blockades not only strike against the rule of law that protects our rights and freedoms, but also undermine Canada’s international reputation,” the Canadian Chamber of Commerce says in an open letter to elected representatives released Friday. “We are already hearing calls to move investment, contracts and production from Canada because of our inability to guarantee timely delivery to international customers.”
The open letter from the Chamber of Commerce, which is signed by dozens of business organizations from across the country, states that Canadians “expect our elected representatives at all levels of government and from all political parties to set aside partisanship and jurisdictional squabbling to bring this issue to a quick resolution.
The open letter called upon elected representatives to take the following action:
- Deliver a strong and unified commitment from the Prime Minister, Premiers, Opposition Party Leaders, and Mayors that the rule of law will be upheld.
- Urgently enact measures to protect critical infrastructure to ensure further closures do not take place elsewhere in the country in the days ahead.
- Seek immediate injunctive measures through the courts to assert a clear message that lawlessness will not be tolerated.
- Ensure law enforcement agencies have all the necessary political support and appropriate tools needed to restore public order and remove any physical blockades that are not dismantled voluntarily.
As of mid-afternoon Sunday, police were finally successful in clearing protesters and their vehicles from WIndsor’s Ambassador Bridge with numerous arrests made. However, the bridge remained closed. Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens told the media that once police had the situation fully under control, the focus would turn to figuring out how to properly reopen the roadway to the bridge.
Protests at border points in British Columbia, Alberta and Manitoba were continuing as of mid-afternoon Sunday and a new one near Fort Erie, Ont., near the Peace Bridge, erupted with people blockng lanes on the Queen Elizabeth Way. And in Ottawa, protesters were in the third week of of their downtown occupation with no clear end in sight.
“The harm is both immediate and severe. Each hour that these blockades continue does more serious damage to our economy and to our society,” the open letter states, reinforcing the need for urgent response.
The Canadian Chamber of Commerce on its own represents 200,000 businesses. Included below are all the other signatories to the open letter.
| 1000 Islands Gananoque Chamber of Commerce |
| Aerospace Industries Association of Canada |
| Alberta Chambers of Commerce |
| Amherstburg Chamber of Commerce |
| Animal Nutrition Association of Canada |
| Associated Equipment Distributors |
| Association of Canadian Port Authorities |
| Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers |
| Association québécoise de l’industrie du cannabis |
| Atlantic Chamber of Commerce |
| Beer Canada |
| Blue Mountains Chamber of Commerce |
| Brampton Board of Trade |
| Brandon Chamber of Commerce |
| Business Council of Manitoba |
| Campbell River & District Chamber of Commerce |
| Canada’s Accredited Zoos and Aquariums |
| Canada-U.S. Business Association |
| Canadian Agri-Food Trade Alliance (CAFTA) |
| Canadian Association of Importers and Exporters |
| Canadian Association of MoldMakers / AutomTe Canada |
| Canadian Association of Recycling Industries |
| Canadian Automobile Dealers Association |
| Canadian Cattlemen’s Association |
| Canadian Chamber of Commerce |
| Canadian Construction Association |
| Canadian Federation of Independent Business |
| Canadian Federation of Independent Grocers |
| Canadian Food Exporters Association |
| Canadian Franchise Association |
| Canadian International Freight Forwarders Association Ltd |
| Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters |
| Canadian Meat Council |
| Canadian Pet Connection |
| Canadian Produce Marketing Association |
| Canadian Recreational Vehicle Association |
| Canadian Rental Association |
| Canadian Society of Customs Brokers |
| Canadian Steel Producers Association |
| Canadian Sugar Institute |
| Canadian Toy Association |
| Canola Council of Canada |
| Cape Breton Regional Chamber of Commerce |
| Centre Wellington Chamber of Commerce |
| Chaleur Chamber of Commerce |
| Chamber of Commerce Brantford-Brant |
| Chamber of Commerce for Greater Moncton |
| Chamber of Commerce Niagara Falls, Canada |
| Chamber of Commerce serving Maple Ridge & Pitt Meadows |
| Chambre de Commerce et d’industrie de Sherbrooke |
| Chatham-Kent Chamber of Commerce |
| Chemistry Industry Association of Canada |
| Cloverdale District Chamber of Commerce |
| Conception Bay Area Chamber of Commerce |
| Cranbrook Chamber of Commerce |
| CropLife Canada |
| Downtown Fredericton Inc. |
| East Gwillimbury Chamber of Commerce |
| East Hants and Districts Chamber of Commerce |
| Eastern PEI Chamber of Commerce |
| Electro-Federation Canada |
| Fertilizer Canada |
| FETCO |
| Flamborough Chamber of Commerce |
| Food Health & Consumer Products of Canada. |
| Food Producers of Canada |
| Forest Products Association of Canada (FPAC) |
| Fort McMurray Chamber of Commerce |
| Fredericton Chamber of Commerce |
| Freight Management Association |
| Frontier Duty Free Association |
| Gander and Area Chamber of Commerce |
| Georgina Chamber of Commerce |
| Global Automakers of Canada |
| Grain Growers of Canada |
| Grande Prairie & District Chamber of Commerce |
| Greater Charlottetown Area Chamber of Commerce |
| Greater Fort Erie Chamber of Commerce |
| Greater Niagara Chamber of Commerce |
| Greater Oshawa Chamber of Commerce |
| Greater Sudbury Chamber of Commerce |
| Greater Summerside Chamber of Commerce |
| Guelph Chamber of Commerce |
| Halton Hills Chamber of Commerce |
| Hamilton Chamber of Commerce |
| Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association of Canada |
| HRAI: Heating Refrigeration Air Conditioning Institute of Canada |
| Huntsville/Lake of Bays Chamber of Commerce |
| Huron Chamber of Commerce – Goderich, Central and North Huron |
| Industrial Minerals Association – North America |
| Innovative Medicines Canada |
| Institute of Canadian Agencies (ICA) |
| Kenora & District Chamber of Commerce |
| Kivalliq Chamber of Commerce |
| La Chambre de commerce de l’Ouest-de-l’Île de Montréal |
| Leamington District Chamber of Commerce |
| Lethbridge Chamber of Commerce |
| Lindsay + District Chamber of Commerce |
| London Chamber of Commerce |
| Lunenburg Board of Trade |
| Madoc & District Chamber of Commerce |
| Manitoba Chambers of Commerce |
| Meaford Chamber of Commerce |
| Medtech Canada |
| Milton Chamber of Commerce |
| Mississauga Board of Trade |
| Morinville & District Chamber of Commerce |
| Mount Pearl Paradise Chamber of Commerce |
| Niagara-on-the-Lake Chamber of Commerce |
| North Bay & District Chamber of Commerce |
| NWT Chamber of Commerce |
| Oakville Chamber of Commerce |
| Ontario Chamber of Commerce |
| Orillia District Chamber of Commerce |
| Ottawa Board of Trade |
| Owen Sound & District Chamber of Commerce |
| Peachland Chamber of Commerce |
| Port aux Basques and Area Chamber of Commerce |
| Port Colborne-Wainfleet Chamber of Commerce |
| Pulse Canada |
| Quinte West Chamber of Commerce |
| Recreation Vehicle Dealers Association of Canada |
| Red Deer & District Chamber of Commerce |
| Responsible Distribution Canada |
| Retail Council of Canada |
| RGA |
| Saint John Region Chamber of Commerce |
| Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce |
| Sault Ste. Marie Chamber of Commerce |
| Sherwood Park & District Chamber of Commerce |
| Shipping Federation of Canada |
| Sooke Region Chamber of Commerce |
| South Stormont Chamber of Commerce |
| South Surrey & White Rock Chamber of Commerce |
| St. Albert and District Chamber of Commerce |
| St. Thomas & District Chamber of Commerce |
| Stratford & District Chamber of Commerce |
| Supply Chain Canada |
| Surrey Board of Trade |
| SWIFT CURRENT & DISTRICT CHAMBER OF COMMERCE |
| The Business Council of Canada |
| The Canadian American Border Trade Alliance |
| The Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitain Montreal |
| The Fort Saskatchewan & District Chamber of Commerce |
| The Greater Barrie Chamber of Commerce |
| The Prince Edward County Chamber of Commerce |
| The Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce |
| Tillsonburg District Chamber of Commerce |
| Toronto Region Board of Trade |
| Tri-Cities Chamber of Commerce |
| Truro & Colchester Chamber of Commerce |
| Vermilion & District Chamber of Commerce |
| Wasaga Beach Chamber of Commerce |
| Welland/Pelham Chamber of Commerce |
| West Nipissing Chamber of Commerce |
| Western Canadian Shippers’ Coalition |
| Whitby Chamber of Commerce |
| Whitchurch-Stouffville Chamber of Commerce |
| WindsorEssex Regional Chamber of Commerce |
| Wine Growers Canada |
| Woodstock District Chamber of Commerce |
| WRLA |
| Yarmouth & Area Chamber of Commerce |
