Ambassador Bridge court order, Ontario’s “Emergency Declaration” results

Tow trucks from Michigan are being used to tow vehicles from the Ambassador Bridge February 12th. Photo: Rise Up Durham/FB

Update noon February 12th: Ontario’s Emergency orders were signed into law at 10am. See the RWN update here.

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The Automotive Parts Manufacturers Association was successful in being granted an injunction on February 11th to end the protests which are blocking the Ambassador Bridge. Ontario was granted intervener status on the APMA’s suit.

In a related story, Ontario Premier Doug Ford announced at a press conference on February 11^th that he was issuing “Emergency Orders” to provide extra powers to stop protests now occurring in Ottawa, Windsor and Sarnia.

No media release was provided with Ford’s announcement and officials in the office of the Solicitor General told Road Warrior News in an email that details were still being decided in Friday’s Cabinet meeting. As of 9am February 13^th, no release has been issued so that RWN cannot report the details of any financial or legal penalties being introduced or amended, or which provincial statutes are being amended.

RWN has not been able to ascertain how Ford was able to announce penalties which had not yet been discussed or approved by Cabinet. Updates will follow as they become available.

Here is the text of Ontario’s media release regarding the February 11th court order, filed by the Automotive Parts’ Manufacturers Association. Ontario’s Attorney General was an intervener in the case.

“WINDSOR – On February 11, 2022, the Chief Justice of the Superior Court of Justice, Geoffrey B. Morawetz, made an order prohibiting impeding or blocking access to the Ambassador Bridge, an international bridge in Windsor, Ontario connecting Canada to the United States. The order is binding on all persons who have notice of it. It takes effect at 7:00pm, February 11, 2022, and remains in effect for ten days.

“The order was granted at the request of the Automotive Parts Manufacturers’ Association and with the support of the Corporation of the City of Windsor. The Attorney General of Ontario, Doug Downey, intervened in the court case and expressed his support for the granting of the order.

The order authorizes the police to use powers of arrest and seizure to enforce it, but specifies that the police retain discretion as to the timing and manner of enforcement.”