GOP Rep. Plans Legislation to Offer Asylum to Canadian Truckers

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Rep. Yvette Herrell, R-N.M, said she plans to introduce a bill that would grant temporary asylum to the Canadian “Freedom Convoy” truckers, who have been protesting the country’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate for truckers over the last month.

Canadian police have started to arrest protestors in Ottawa, Canada’s capital. Approximately 200 have been arrested as of Sunday morning, with 57 vehicles having been towed so far. Townhall reports that among those arrested, 103 have been charged, mostly for mischief and obstruction. 

On Twitter, Herrell said Saturday that “[J]ust as we provide asylum for political prisoners, we should do the same for truckers who have been subjected to violence, had their property confiscated, and their bank accounts frozen by a government that is quickly becoming the embarrassment of the free world. I am introducing legislation that would temporarily grant asylum to innocent Canadian protesters who are being persecuted by their own government. We cannot be silent as our neighbors to the north are treated so badly.”

Last week, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau invoked Canada’s Emergencies Act in order to stop the protests. Canadian authorities have also used emergency powers in seizing protestors’ bank accounts.

Jason Kenney, the Premier of the Canadian province of Alberta, said Saturday that he was suing the Canadian government and Trudeau for invoking the Emergencies Act, calling it “unjustified in the circumstances.”

Kenney told the Edmonton Sun that “the Emergencies Act was designed to come into effect at the failure of the state … however, there is no insurrection or coup.” Kenney also condemned using the Emergencies Act to “seize and freeze” the assets of “people whose opinions they disagree with,” saying that the parts of the act regarding banking were “designed to interrupt terrorism financing.”

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