Maritime truckers’ blockade moves along

GRAND FALLS, N.B. — Many of the protesting truckers in New Brunswick began rolling along late last night after police threatened them with hefty traffic fines.
Canadian Press reports that the independent truckers — who shut their trucks down in protest over high fuel prices earlier this week — agreed to move their trucks from the Trans-Canada in Saint-Jacques, near the Quebec border when approached by RCMP officers with $120 tickets in hand.

Sgt. Gary Cameron told CP the truckers agreed to start their engines without any hesitation — and “they’ve been moving ever since,” he said.

Around midnight, the RCMP used the same tactic near the Woodstock border, where hundreds of trucks lined the Trans-Canada.

Cameron predicted that all major roads would be back to normal sometime today.

About 500 owner-ops formed an ad-hoc group called Truckers and Drivers Association of North America. They’ve blocking truck traffic in Saint-Jacques and at exits in Saint-Leonard, Saint- Andre and Perth-Andover all week by asking motorists to sign a petition calling on the government to cap taxes and take action against oil companies.

About 1,000 other truckers not involved with the strike have been forced to pull over. The shutdown of commercial traffic in the area has angered residents as perishable goods and energy products have been blocked from getting to suppliers and retailers.

According to the Atlantic Provinces Trucking Association, the group appears to represent mainly the raw forest product independent carriers serving the pulp and lumber mills in northern New Brunswick.

Protest organizer Eric Bijeau told CP he was frustrated by the police tactics, adding that his group will plan “on the next step.”

— with files from Canadian Press