Pair of city councillors call for support from federal, provincial governments amid convoy protest

As the truck convoy demonstration continues in Ottawa, a pair of city councillors are calling on upper levels of governments to provide additional supports.

Gloucester-South Nepean Councillor Carol Anne Meehan and Rideau-Vanier Councillor Mathieu Fleury both feel the City of Ottawa does not have the tools needed to address the ongoing demonstration, and are calling on the federal and provincial governments to provide the supports necessary to control the situation.

Meehan is frustrated from the leadership from those levels of governments, and wants to see them step up.

“We have been calling for help, we're not doing that for no reason,” she told The Rob Snow Show on Thursday, February 10. “This is a capital city, but this a city where we have a million residents whose lives have been hijacked by this.”

Meehan adds she would like to see Premier Doug Ford and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to get together, in order to find a solution.

“Our democracy is at stake here, and I think that as residents of the city we need… we're crawling out, please don't let this happen,” Meehan pleaded.

She also acknowledges there is only so much the city and Ottawa police are able to do, and that the truck convoy caught them off guard.

Fleury, who represents the ward containing the so-called red zone, feels all three levels of governments need to work together, and puts politics aside.

“It's impacted our communities in Ottawa, it's impacted our City of Ottawa, but it's much bigger than the City of Ottawa,” Fleury explained.

The councillor adds the situation, especially in the downtown core, has not improved due to factors such as some businesses being forced to remain closed as a result of the protest, along with difficulties accessing transit in the area.