Both the occupation of Ottawa and the blockade in Alberta are illegal, the police must enforce the laws that are in place and no longer allow this to continue.

Concerning Alberta: “Bill 1, the Critical Infrastructure Defence Act, allows the government to levy heavy fines and possibly imprison anyone unlawfully interfering with infrastructure including pipelines, highways, utilities and oil and gas production facilities.”

The blocking and disruption of a major highway is clearly illegal.

Concerning Ottawa: “The Supreme Court has recognized that "freedom of expression does not extend to protect threats of violence or acts of violence. It would not protect the destruction of property, assaults, or other clearly unlawful conduct." In addition, in some cases, the reasonable limits prescribed by law will also apply. Section 1 of the Charter, which provides for limitations on rights and freedoms, states:1. The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms guarantees the rights and freedoms set out in it, subject only to such reasonable limits prescribed by law as can be demonstrably justified in a free and democratic society. The following is a list of some of the relevant Criminal Code sections that limit certain activities:

blocking or obstructing a highway (Section 423(1)(g))
causing a disturbance (Section 175)
common nuisance (Section 180)
interfering with transportation facilities (Section 248)
breach of the peace or imminent breach (Section 31)
offensive volatile substance (Section 178)
riots (Sections 32, 33, 64, 65, 67, 68, 69)
unlawful assembly (Section 63)
mischief (Section 430)
An arrest for breach of the peace, whether under the Criminal Code or the common law, does not result in a charge. The purpose of an arrest for breach of peace is to restore order.

There are numerous other Criminal Code sections that may also apply to protest situations. In addition to the Criminal Code, limitations on protest activities are also contained in provincial statutes, such as the Highway Traffic Act , and in municipal by-laws.”

Protestors in Ottawa have been honking horns non stop in a city centre, they have not respected the mask mandates of businesses, they have blocked road ways and they have done all this without a permit, which is required by law. This is clearly illegal. 

We call on the government and police to enforce the laws that are in place.