Coutts border blockade continues as RCMP negotiations with protesters prove unsuccessful

A massive blockade of vehicles remained at the Canada-U.S. border crossing near Coutts, Alta. after days of closures and significant traffic delays.

Since Saturday morning, the crossing has been affected by trucks and vehicles taking part in the nationwide protest against pandemic health measures.

RCMP are on hand, but have not removed the protestors or trucks blocking the crossing itself.

"We increased our presence in numbers (Sunday) night and this morning to bring in additional resources in the event that we are required to take enforcement action — meaning like arrests and even towing vehicles if required," said RCMP Cpl. Curtis Peters.

"If we can negotiate and have that take place with while still allowing this to return to a peaceful lawful protest, that would be the ideal situation."

Late Monday evening, the RCMP tweeted that efforts to negotiate with the protestors produced no results.

KENNEY DENOUNCES PROTEST

The protest prompted Premier Jason Kenney to denounce the blockade and, in a Twitter post on Sunday, he called for it to end.

"It is causing significant inconvenience for lawful motorists and could dangerously impede movement of emergency service vehicles," Kenney wrote on Twitter.

He also reiterated statements about all Canadians having a "democratic right to engage in lawful protests," but drew the line at creating hazards for others.

The premier referred to the Critical Infrastructure Defence Act, which was created in 2020 to allow law enforcement to punish protestors who impair critical economic infrastructure.

Punishments include a fine of up to $25,000, plus up to six months in jail for individuals and a maximum fine of $200,000 for corporations.

"The Critical Infrastructure Defence Act was designed to deal with protecting infrastructure in the province of Alberta," said Doug Schweitzer, who was Alberta's justice minister when the piece of legislation was drafted and introduced. 

"We've seen rail blockades, we've seen highways be blocked and that's exactly what the intention of the bill was -- to provide law enforcement with greater tools to deal with illegal blockades in Alberta," said Schweitzer, who is now the provincial minister of jobs, economy and innovation. 

'DISAPPOINTED' IN MLA AT BORDER BLOCKADE: SCHWEITZER

While the premier called for the blockade to end, a member of the United Conservative Party attended the protest over the weekend.

MLA Grant Hunter, who represents the riding of Taber-Warner, was at the Coutts border with his grandkids, "to show them the importance of standing up for freedom and liberty," he wrote on Facebook.

"This is going to be an issue that our caucus needs to talk about," Schweitzer said Monday. 

"I think, (I'm) disappointed that Grant Hunter chose to go there and participate in that illegal blockade," he added, saying it's up for caucus to decide whether Hunter should remain a member of the UCP caucus. 

The opposition NDP is calling on Kenney to remove Hunter from caucus.

“I can’t believe I have to say this but an elected Member of the Legislative Assembly must not prevent essential goods from entering our province and block emergency vehicles from attending to Albertans in need,” said Lorne Dach, the NDP's transportation critic.

“Jason Kenney must put his personal political agenda aside and remove this dangerous extremist element from his government today," Dach said.

In a statement Monday afternoon, Hunter said he attended the protest because it's time for things to get back to normal and he reaffirmed his support of the people protesting.

"That being said, a peaceful protest is not a blockade that stops people from moving freely and so I ask those who are blocking the Coutts border crossing to let people through," Hunter wrote.

Independent Cypress Hill-Medicine Hat MLA Drew Barnes issued a statement Monday afternoon, saying “I fully support the recent protests by truckers on both sides of the border against unnecessary vaccine mandates."

"These mandates and vaccine passports are dividing our society, disrupting our supply chains, harming small businesses, and having an unclear impact on preventing the spread of COVID-19," it read.

“Of course, I encourage everybody to obey the law, and from what I have seen and heard, the protestors have made an effort to ensure first responders and emergency vehicles can get to where they need to go. That’s a good thing, and it reflects well on those taking part in this protest."

Barnes added, "This is not a time for politics as usual."

"It’s a time for listening and finding common ground. Unfortunately, Premier Kenney has burned more bridges than he has built with these protestors, not to mention the silent majority of Albertans who are fed up with his pandemic theatre," he said.

“So long as Jason Kenney and Justin Trudeau seek to ignore, undermine, and vilify this growing movement, I will continue to offer my full and unequivocal support.”