Trudeau asks for patience as rail blockades continue, bars Scheer from leaders' meeting

[TomSea]

Trudeau asks for patience as rail blockades continue, bars Scheer from leaders' meeting

John Paul Tasker · CBC News · Posted: Feb 18, 2020 9:28 AM ET

Addressing the House of Commons Tuesday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau asked Canadians to be patient with his government as it seeks a negotiated end to Indigenous protests that have crippled the country's transportation network.

Trudeau said his government is committed to "dialogue" over the use of force with the Indigenous protesters who have shut down CN Rail in Eastern Canada and much of Via Rail's services nationwide by blocking a key artery in southern Ontario. CN announced it is "temporarily" laying off about 450 workers at its Eastern Canadian operations.

Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer said Trudeau's call for more talks with the protesters has emboldened "radical activists" who are intent on holding the Canadian economy hostage.

Read more at: https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/trudeau-pipeline-protests-house-1.5466878

[PeteS in CA]

An update:

https://hotair.com/archives/john-s-2/2020/02/24/canadian-rail-blockade-cleared-10-people-arrested/

Trudeau Reverses Himself, Canadian Rail Blockade Cleared By Ontario Police

Last Tuesday, with the blockade of the Canadian rail system by indigenous protests having already been underway for 12 days, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau gave a speech in Parliament about the need for patience and listening to other points of view. “We are creating a space for peaceful, honest dialog with willing partners,” Trudeau said. Later he added, “What is the alternative? Do we want to become a country of irreconcilable differences where people talk but refuse to listen? Where politicians are ordering police to arrest people.”

Trudeau’s smug tone and vague message did not go over well with Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer who called it “a word salad” and “the weakest response to a national crisis in Canadian history.” For daring to disagree, Scheer was kept out of a meeting of party leaders to discuss the situation. “Mr. Scheer disqualified himself from constructive discussions with his unacceptable speech from earlier today,” Trudeau explained.

Three days later, after nearly 1,500 rail workers were laid off, Trudeau abruptly reversed course. At a Friday press conference he gave a speech with a very different tone. Speaking in French at first he said, “Let us be clear. All Canadians are paying the price. Some people can’t get to work; others have lost their jobs.” Then switching to English he said, “The situation as it currently stands is unacceptable and untenable. Everyone involved is worried. Canadians have been patient. Our government has been patient, but it has been two weeks and the barricades need to come down now.”

So, how many hundreds of Canadian had to get laid off for Trudeau to do the right thing he should have done at the beginning? TrueDope!