Watson, solicitor general spar over border checks

Ottawa's mayor and Ontario's solicitor general were at odds Tuesday over the province's decision to set up police check points at bridges along the Ottawa River.

Starting Monday, Ontario beganlimitingnon-essential travel from Quebec and Manitobaunderthe province'srecently enhanced stay-at-home order.

According to the province, essential travel includes going to work, seeking medical care, transporting goods and exercising Indigenous treaty rights.

On Monday morning,long lines of vehicleswaiting tocross the Ottawa River from Gatineau stretched for kilometresas police questioned motorists. Only 31were turned away between 6 a.m. and 2 p.m., according to Ottawa police.

The situationappeared to improve byTuesday morning.Quebec has establishedsimilar checkpoints.

'Chaos at the bridges'

Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson told CBC Radio'sOttawa Morningon Monday that he was never consultedabout the checkpoints, and believes the province should cover the cost of the 50 to 100 police officersneeded to staff them each day.

"These border checks don't make any sense," Watson said."We're seeing now the chaos at the bridges. We're one economic union, for all intents and purposes."

Ottawa mayor, provinces solicitor general at odds over Quebec-Ontario border rules

3 years ago

Duration 2:35

Solicitor General Sylvia Jones responded to a question about Ontario-Quebec border checkpoints by quoting Ottawa Mayor Jim Watsons previous pleas for residents to stay home. Watson, who opposes the border rules, says there is a world of difference between asking residents to stay home and using police resources to set up checkpoints.

Asked by NDP MPP Joel Harden during Tuesday's question period about the "useless" checkpoints, Ontario Solicitor GeneralSylvia Jones quotedWatson, who has previously urged residentsnot to travel to western Quebec for recreation, such asvisiting Gatineau Park.

Jones implied that given those previous statements, Watson should be in favour of the checkpoints. She didn't mention in her replywhether the province would pay any of the policing costs.

On Twitter,Watson accused Jones of misrepresenting his stanceon the topic.

"There is a world of difference between encouraging residents to stay at home unless it'sfor essential travel and the provinces' decision to put up checkpoints at 5 bridges and 2 ferry crossings! Yesterday was a nightmare and a complete waste of police resources," he wrote.

Ontario's stay-at-home order is inplace until at least May 20.