The Canadian Trucker protest has spread outside of Ottawa and has now traveled to the largest border crossing in North America, which carries a tad bit more than a quarter of all trade between the two countries. For the past three or four days, the Ambassador Bridge which connects Detroit, Michigan, and Windsor, Ontario, has experienced bottlenecks and even closed due to the trucker protests. The protests have also slowed traffic at Port Huron. Michigan, and Sarnia, Windsor, crossing at the Blue Water Bridge, a bit up the road (about 70 miles) on I-94 East.

Simply put, it is marvelous to watch, and if I may steal a quote from actual radicals who have in the past five years screamed and yelled at people while encouraging buildings to be burned and cities to be occupied…

This (actually) is what Democracy looks like.

Canada has been protesting the vaccine mandates Justin Trudeau imposed back in mid-January, and these protests have been having a positive effect. As my colleague Nick Arama write earlier today, More Provinces Drop Restrictions, Trudeau Ripped Apart in Parliament.

From that article…

Things are not looking good either for Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau or the Canadian mandates.

Provinces including Alberta and Saskatchewan, are dropping their mandates. Now Quebec, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick have announced that they are also dropping some of the restrictions. It looks like the provinces are moving in the right direction but Justin Trudeau is still refusing delivery on reality.

On Tuesday, Trudeau was upbraided by the conservative leader Candice Bergen (not the actress). “This cannot be a slow and dragged out process simply because of the prime minister’s ego, pride, or denial.” Bergen said. “Canadians are too tired, Canadians need hope. So will the prime minister follow the science, follow the evidence, end the restrictions, end the mandates?” She then called on him to end the mandates. Trudeau was heckled at his response — which was no response.

Now, the fear of this protest spreading to the United States in multiple ways has hit Gretchen Whitmer, who is up for reelection this year. You may have noticed that you have not seen or heard from Whitmer in terms of COVID-19 restrictions in the past five or six months. That is because she realized it was not polling well to keep mask mandates ordered from that state on kids and decided to take up another hobby before November 2022.

However, this mess not of her making has got her concerned. She was asked a question Thursday at an event in western Michigan, and here is what went down. In response to a question from reporter Rachel Louise on just about what plans Whitmer has, if any, if the bridge blockages do not get resolved soon. Here is Gov. Gretch’s response.

In West Michigan, Gov. Whitmer stops short of telling the Canadian gov't how to resolve Ambassador Bridge shutdown, but says something must be done.

"The fact of the matter is this is compromising and jeopardizing many jobs in the state of Michigan…this needs to be resolved." pic.twitter.com/oM77iNjjxI

— Rachel Louise Just (@RLJnews) February 10, 2022

Well they need to resolve the issue, I’m not weighing in on the substance. I’m not getting into Canadian government policy.

But the fact of the matter is this is compromising and jeopardizing many jobs in the State of Michigan, now that the autos are already starting to slow down; some are closed or anticipate being closed in days, this needs to be resolved.

So I have been on the horn with our Canadian ambassador, with the White House and our congressional delegation with some of the Premiers in Canada. I mean, I am imploring them to get this resolved. I don’t think people appreciated what an immediate economic impact this would have on Michigan, quite frankly, and so, they understand now, and now they go to resolve it.

So I’m encouraging the White House to work with the Canadian government. Whatever it takes, they can have their conversations, but they gotta stop the blockade. Because there are hardworking men and women in an industry that is just getting back to full strength, who are now going to be outta a job at least temporarily, and are going to need unemployment.

It is going to have a massive impact on all of us in Michigan. They need to understand, they do now and they need to resolve this. They need to get the blockade released, so that commerce can flow again.

Kinda awesome how the guy in Canada is doing the same things she was all for in 2020-21, and now she is saying RESOLVE IT. Whitmer ended the mandates here — not because of the science but because of the political science that demands you not do anything to piss off the plebes before an election.

Her plea to the White House will fall on deaf ears, being those inflation numbers just came out, and that will take a while to explain to President Puddin Brain. So, it looks like Gretch might be left to hang out to dry on this issue. (see Joe Manchin Is Not Happy About the Latest Inflation Numbers)

Gov. Gretch still is a 50/50 shot at winning later this year. Yet, if the blue-collar truckers and other workers align with the sane people in this world that the science was based on politics, her side is in for a rough year. She can punch that panic button all she wants.

Help won’t be arriving.