Ottawa police chief resigns amid trucker protest in capital
A Canadian official says the police chief in Ottawa has resigned amid criticism of inaction against COVID-19 protests that have paralyzed Canada’s capital
By ROB GILLIES and TED SHAFFREY Associated Press
February 15, 2022, 11:21 AM
OTTAWA, Ontario -- Ottawa’s police chief resigned Tuesday amid criticism of his department's inaction against the trucker protests that have paralyzed Canada's capital for over two weeks, a federal government official said.
The bumper-to-demonstration by hundreds of truck drivers against the country's COVID-19 restrictions — and the failure of Police Chief Peter Sloly to break the siege early on — have infuriated many Ottawa residents.
The government official was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.
On Monday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau invoked extraordinary emergency powers to try to end the occupation there and elsewhere around the country. Across Canada and beyond, the question in the coming days will be whether it will work.
Canadian Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino said it is time for police to begin using their broad authority conferred under Canada’s Emergencies Act, which allows the government to ban the blockades and begin towing away trucks.
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https://abcnews.go.com/Health/wireStory/canadian-official-police-act-now-stop-truck-protest-82903633