The Ontario Ministry of Transportation (MTO) confirmed that it shut down nearly 40 businesses during its crackdown on Freedom Convoy protesters opposing COVID-19 mandates and restrictions. In an email to Global News on Feb. 23, Dakota Brasier, a spokesperson for Minister of Transportation Caroline Mulroney, said the ministry had issued 12 seizure orders to Ontario-based large truck operators which suspended them from being allowed to operate within Canada. The ministry also issued an order to seize all plates registered to them, Brasier said. Outside of Ontario, the ministry also issued 27 seizure orders to out-of-province large truck operators, which stopped them from operating any commercial motor vehicles in Ontario, Brasier said. The MTO would not reveal the name of the businesses that were issued with the seizure orders when asked to comment by Truck News. “In an effort to preserve future police investigations into the illegal occupation in Ottawa, the ministry will not release the names of affected …