CANADIAN Prime Minister Justin Trudeau vowed to end the spreading truckers’ protest today, but faced a sharp rebuke over his divisive approach to vaccine mandates.

He said that ordinary Canadians were “shocked and, frankly, disgusted” by the behaviour of some of the protesters, which has involved vandalism and racist remarks.

“It has to stop,” Mr Trudeau said.

He was following on from remarks made in parliament on Monday in which he accused protesters of stealing food from the homeless, flying racist flags and “dishonouring our veterans.”

But the comments, which came during an emergency debate, led to an angry backlash from organisers and supporters of the “freedom convoy.”

In a message, they said they stand in opposition to racism and called on supporters not to raise offensive flag and insignia, which they said were not welcome at the demonstrations.

“Hate can never be the answer,” they said, in a video circulating on social media, adding: “We won’t give in to those who fly racist flags.”

Thousands of truckers have joined the convoy’s blockade to oppose cornavirus vaccine mandates imposed by Mr Trudeau’s government. Their vehicles have brought the capital Ottawa to a standstill: its mayor declared a state of emergency on Sunday.

It has drawn considerable working-class support but critics say the movement is controlled by the far right.

Mr Trudeau’s approach has, however, led to criticism from within his own party. In a press conference on Tuesday, Liberal MP Joel Lightbound said he has become uncomfortable with a recent polarising shift in “both the tone and the policies of my government” in public-health debates. 

He first expressed concerns when Mr Trudeau stood on a platform calling for mandatory vaccines for public-sector workers and air travellers.

“From a positive and unifying approach, a decision was made to wedge, to divide and to stigmatise,” the Quebec city MP said. “I fear that this politicisation of the pandemic risks undermining the public’s trust in our public-health institutions. This is not a risk we ought to be taking lightly.”

Truckers blocked the Ambassador Bridge on Monday, a key trade route between Canada and the United States. Mr Lightbound called for them to end the blockade and go home. But he said the government must lay out a clear path to ending Covid restrictions that, he said, no longer have the support of many Canadians.

“Not everyone can earn a living on a MacBook at a cottage,” he said.