OTTAWA _ Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says everything is on the table to bring illegal blockades to an end _ but he can't say when that will happen because of fears of violence.
Trudeau says the people still illegally blocking streets in Ottawa and border crossings to the United States must go home or face increasingly severe consequences that could ruin their lives.
White House press secretary Jen Psaki says President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau spoke by phone today about the blockades during a sidebar from a larger call with various world leaders about the situation in Ukraine.
Psaki says the two leaders agreed that the actions of the individuals who are obstructing travel and commerce between the two countries are having significant direct impacts on citizens' lives and livelihoods.
She says Biden expressed his concern that U.S. companies and workers are experiencing serious effects, including slowdowns in production, shortened work hours and plant closures.
Psaki says Trudeau promised quick action in enforcing the law.
Meanwhile, Ontario Premier Doug Ford says he is declaring a state of emergency so the province can hike fines and introduce jail time for people refusing to leave the blockades.
That move comes two weeks after the first big rigs began snarling streets in downtown Ottawa and amid some clear tensions between the federal and provincial governments about who is responsible for solving the crisis.
Ontario Transport Minister Caroline Mulroney says on Twitter that the province acted because the federal government wouldn't.
Ontario meanwhile is refusing to participate in daily meetings the federal government set up with the city of Ottawa and provincial government this week in a bid to find solutions to the impasse.