Winnipeg city councillors sent a strong message of unity Thursday with regards to the ongoing protest in the city’s downtown.
Council voted unanimously Thursday afternoon in support of a motion that calls for, among other items, the city’s CAO to investigate raising fines for noise and traffic disruptions, as well as the possibility of a legal injunction related to “restoring common order to the community.”
The motion also asks the police board to review police communications during the protest, and for the mayor to reach out to Manitoba premier Heather Stefanson.
Mayor Brian Bowman called the emergency meeting of council after making public statements Tuesday urging police to enforce laws after hearing multiple reports from constituents about noise, traffic and safety concerns in the area of the Manitoba Legislature.
Bowman has referred to the ongoing protest — which is in solidarity with the larger, so-called “Freedom Convoy” in Ottawa — as an occupation.
Bowman said Thursday the goal of the meeting wasn’t to debate the legality of holding a protest, but to address the disruptions and frustrations residents are feeling as a result of the prolonged protest — which is in support of the larger demonstration in Ottawa.
“Winnipeggers have seen temporary disruptions because of protests in the past, but what is unique in this case is the multi-day occupation of public streets and the noise that is coming with it,” he said.
“We’re here today in part because Winnipeggers have communicated loud and clear that they expect compliance with laws, notably those related with traffic and noise.
“Those who have expressed concerns — I want them to know that we have heard from you. We’ve heard your concerns, and we share them.”
Coun. Shawn Nason (Transcona) said he’s been through the protest area and he’s concerned about public safety — both for residents of the area and the people protesting.
“I would not want to be a pedestrian in that area. There’s a City of Winnipeg crosswalk that is fully blocked off and unusable,” he said.
“There are vehicles blocking sight-lines over two lanes of traffic, with pedestrians encroaching immediately on the lane of traffic, trying to high-five, waving their flags — there’s no separation. There’s people handing out materials adjacent to the roadway without separation.”
Nason said council’s goal isn’t to judge the protesters, but to come up with a solution.
Coun. Sherri Rollins (Fort Rouge – East Fort Garry), who represents the area directly affected by the protest, said the situation has become untenable for her constituents.
On Monday, Rollins collaborated with area representatives at the provincial and federal levels to author an open letter calling for an end to the protest.
“My constituents live, work, shop, eat downtown. Over the past few weeks, that has become disrupted and unsafe,” she said.
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“I have heard stories from families with young children who are being woken through the night and are being sent to school tired and upset.”
She said she’s also heard from health-care workers who live in the area and are unable to get rest after long shifts, as well as students harassed and made to feel unsafe because they’re wearing a mask.
Rollins said she has seen multiple protests take place in downtown Winnipeg, and has taken part in demonstrations in support of Black Lives Matter, unions, inquests into missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls, and other causes.
“These are peaceful protests,” she said. “Protests that are designed to get government attention, not hurt or inconvenience the people of this city.
“This protest is different. The protests I support do not have victims.”
Manitoba justice minister Kelvin Goertzen spoke to media Thursday afternoon and while he was unwilling to call the protest outside the legislature “unlawful” or to that the protesters should go home, he called for cooler heads over an issue that is continuing to cause anger and frustration among Winnipeggers.
“I want to ensure that here in the city of Winnipeg that people can live and work in a reasonable way and they have the right to live and work in a reasonable way — but I do think overall that everyone has to take a little bit of a step back,” he said.
“I’m calling on Manitobans to step back, think about the reasons other people feel differently than you do — I’m not necessarily asking you to change your mind, I’m just asking you to consider why other people feel the way they do and I think that’ll get us to a better place in terms of how we respond to each other.”
Goertzen said his preference would be that protesters didn’t block roadways and didn’t honk and keep people up all night in downtown Winnipeg, but he feels confident that the police have the matter well in hand and that there’s a positive dialogue taking place.
“It can’t go on forever,” he said.
“I think a point has been made, I think their point has been heard and absolutely we need to move on from this. I hope that they’ll continue to have that dialog with the Winnipeg Police Service… keep those roads open, give people access who have access, let people sleep at night.”
In a statement earlier Thursday afternoon, premier Stefanson said she welcomes communication with Bowman, but said the province has no jurisdiction to interfere with civic protests or police operations.
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