A new protest by truckers in Canada on Wednesday paralyzed traffic at a third point along the border with the United States, putting further pressure on the auto industry, which relies on the flow of parts between the two countries.
The truck barricade was deployed on the Sarnia bridge in Ontario, which was saturated with vehicles from the neighboring country, after that route became the only alternative through due to two other blockades in the provinces of Alberta and Montana. .
According to the mayor of that city, Drew Dilkins, the authorities will ask the federal government for help to deal with the truckers who today joined the protests unleashed in the country more than 10 days ago against a package of anti-Covid measures. 19.
Due to parts supply problems related to the Sarnia bridge blockage, the Stellantis minivan assembly plant in Windsor, Ontario, was forced to cut two shifts on Tuesday, company spokeswoman LouAnn Gosselin said.
Production resumed Wednesday morning, he said, and the company is working with parts suppliers to prevent further stoppages.
The three blockades came as demonstrations were taking place in the capital, Ottawa, by groups opposing vaccination requirements for truckers crossing into Canada from the United States.
The protests in the northern country motivated citizens from other latitudes to oppose the health mandates. In France, dozens of trucks and vehicles left the south of the country for Paris to vent their anger over vaccination policies. Copycat convoys also occurred in New Zealand, Australia and the United States, as far-right and anti-vaccine groups around the world amplified the Canadian protesters’ message on social media and raised millions of dollars in online campaigns.
Despite the protests, the majority of Canadians support public health measures to combat the pandemic.
