To Understand Global Conflict, Start With a Map

To Understand Global Conflict, Start With a Map
Parked trucks block lanes of traffic during a protest against pandemic restrictions in Ottawa, Ontario, Feb. 14, 2022 (AP photo by Ted Shaffrey).

For the first time in half a century, Canada’s federal government has declared a national emergency. The move was in response to continuing demonstrations in major cities and at several points along the Canada-U.S. border, where truckers and other protesters have blockaded major commerce routes and crossings for the better part of a month.

The protests, which paralyzed Canada’s capital city Ottawa for weeks, were sparked by a national COVID-19 policy requiring truck drivers to be vaccinated in order to cross into Canada from the United States. The movement has since expanded to give voice to a wider variety of grievances, attracting support from far-right groups as well as other citizens frustrated by the country’s pandemic restrictions. The blockade has been almost entirely nonviolent, but has caused major disruptions to the local and regional economy. U.S. automakers in particular suffered from the protesters’ partial shutdown of the bridge connecting Canada and Detroit, over which thousands of trucks and more than $300 million in goods pass every day.

The Canadian government’s decision to declare an emergency came in part at the urging of U.S. President Joe Biden, who warned of the serious effects of the blockade on U.S. businesses. By Thursday morning, the Ontario provincial police had begun to mobilize for an operation to disperse the protesters.

Keep reading for free!

Get instant access to the rest of this article as well as three free articles per month. You'll also receive our free email newsletter to stay up to date on all our coverage:

Or, Subscribe now to get full access.

Already a subscriber? Log in here .

What you’ll get with an All-Access subscription to World Politics Review:

A WPR subscription is like no other resource — it’s like having your own personal researcher and analyst for news and events around the globe. Subscribe now, and you’ll get:

  • Immediate and instant access to the full searchable library of 15,000+ articles
  • Daily articles with original analysis, written by leading topic experts, delivered to you every weekday
  • Weekly in-depth reports on important issues and countries
  • Daily links to must-read news, analysis, and opinion from top sources around the globe, curated by our keen-eyed team of editors
  • Your choice of weekly region-specific newsletters, delivered to your inbox.
  • Smartphone- and tablet-friendly website.
  • Completely ad-free reading.

And all of this is available to you when you subscribe today.

More World Politics Review