WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 10th February, 2022) The US government is working to alleviate the risks to the supply chains, and in particular the risks to the automobile industry, posed by the anti-vaccine mandate protests in Canada, White House spokesperson Jen Psaki said on Wednesday.
"We are watching this very closely," Psaki said during a press briefing. "The Ambassador bridge is Canada's busiest link to the United States and accounts for 25% of trade between the two countries. The blockade poses a risk to supply chains, for the auto industry... We are focused on this, the President (Joe Biden) is working on this, we are working to alleviate the impact."
Psaki added that the Biden administration is taking steps to resolve the issue and is in touch with the Canadian government.
Canada's sate broadcaster CBC news reported that the Ambassador Bridge - connecting Detroit in the United States and Windsor in Canada - was blocked by protesting truckers and other Canadians on Monday night. The protesters have halted access to Canada by parking thousands of vehicles at the border and are keeping one lane open for those traveling into the United States, according to the report.
The wave of protests across Canada began in January, with tens of thousands of truckers, farmers and other demonstrators converging on Ottawa to demand the removal of COVID-19 vaccine mandates. The protest has since evolved into an anti-government demonstration, with additional various groups of citizens uniting in opposition to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
