The trucker convoy protest in downtown Ottawa entered its seventh day Thursday with no immediate end in sight.
The Ottawa Police Service says while the number of protestors has dwindled, more are expected this weekend.
During an update on Wednesday, Chief Peter Sloly said there may not be a policing solution to end the demonstration.
“We’re looking at every single option, including military aid to civil power. There is a process that’s extremely well established, extremely well-governed, and extremely rare,” said Sloly.
“The only two occasions I’m aware of in the last 100 years was in the Oka crisis and in the FLQ crisis.”
Sloly said the longer the demonstrations continue, the more the risk to public safety continues.
But he also said that bringing in members of the Canadian Armed Forces would create a different set of risks.
Other potential options being considered, said Sloly, include negotiations, enforcement and court injunctions.
On Wednesday in the House of Commons, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said in French that the protest is “becoming illegal,” adding they will work with law enforcement to ensure it comes to an end.
But organizers have said they have no plans to go anywhere until all COVID-19 mandates have been lifted.
