David Ljunggren, Steve Scherer

OTTAWA (Reuters). — Frustration over the inability of Canadian police in lifting blockades at border and capital caused Justin Trudeau’s to request emergency powers. Sources said that the Prime Minister was motivated by scenes of protesters in hot tubs next to Parliament.

Trudeau used Monday’s little-used Emergencies Act as a signal to the federal government that it was taking charge of an issue local and provincial police had struggled with, while protests against restrictions on pandemics dragged along.

Two sources familiar with the discussion said that discussions on the invocation of rare powers began Thursday when the Ambassador Bridge blockade, an important U.S.-Canada trade route between Detroit, Michigan, and Windsor, Ontario entered its third day.

One source said that the Windsor police “kind of allowed it to happen.” Due to the sensitive nature of the matter, all requested anonymity. Windsor police requested more resources. The province granted their request.

After six days of blockade, police were finally able to clear the bridge. Trudeau was also concerned by it.

Protesters had paralyzed Ottawa’s streets since Jan. 28 and were now more entrenched. There was also growing concern that there might be “nefarious elements” within the crowd. A group associated with a border demonstration was later arrested by police in Alberta.

According to government sources, “The prime minister was very mad” referring specifically to the Thursday meeting of Federal Incident Response Group. The group is made up Trudeau’s most senior advisers. He said that we must get in front of these.

A third source said that Trudeau “was demanding solutions” during the meeting. Trudeau added: “Let’s get everything on the table, and then say, “What are the good ideas?”

According to the third source, after waiting for responses from local authorities and police in response to their initial requests, the government finally realized that enforcement wasn’t taking place.

Source said that the source also required him to understand fully whether it had been given enough time for it not to fail or work partially, as well as what additional work he needed. He didn’t want him to get ahead of the things already happening.”

Initial statements by Ottawa police stated that their goal was to deescalate. Later, they asked for both federal and provincial resources to help them. They were overwhelmed.

Two sources claimed that the chaos in Ottawa over the weekend was too overwhelming, with hundreds of Ottawa residents blocking another convoy from joining protesters.

As protesters soaked in hot tubs and party into the early hours, police stood beside them.

Source said that “This weekend in Ottawa drove some people over-the-edge, the hot tub and the stage, as well as… the impotence police to take action about it.”

Officials from the city announced Tuesday that Peter Sloly, chief of police, resigned Tuesday after being criticized for his performance.

There are approximately 360 vehicles and trucks involved in this protest, as well as several hundred people protesting and large amounts of money donated by Canadian and American donors.

Ottawa is totally out of control. According to the second source, we have just gone through another weekend with no enforcement.”

Sources said that concerns about protesters reoccupying border crossings could disrupt vital trade flows and threaten public safety were also considered in the decision.

A second factor was violence, when eleven people were detained by the police of Alberta Monday and their guns and ammunition seized.

According to the second source, “There are organised nefarious entities that are involved in these things,” citing the Alberta gun seizure.

According to the third source, “There is an element that is trying to subvert our democracy’s normal course, and this must be protected regardless of who the government is.”

“That is the real difference between this protest and others that we have seen.”

($1 = 1.2744 Canadian dollars)