Trudeau defends Emergencies Act in House of Commons

As police in Ottawa appear to be taking action against protesters Thursday morning, the prime minister is defending his government’s move to invoke the Emergencies Act in the House of Commons.

“Some protesters came to Ottawa to express their frustration and fatigue with public health measures, that’s their right. Like I said, it’s a right that we’ll defend in this free and democratic country, but illegal blockades and occupations are not peaceful protests, they have to stop,” Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said.

“I want to reassure Canadians that when the Emergencies Act is invoked, the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms continues to protect their individual rights. We’re not using the Emergencies Act to call in the military, we are not limiting freedom of expression, we’re not limiting freedom of peaceful assembly, we are not preventing people from exercising their right to protest legally,” Trudeau added.

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Reaction to the move has been mixed from federal members of parliament after Trudeau announced he would bring in the act for the first time in Canada’s history to respond to ongoing demonstrations across the country, particularly those who had blocked the U.S-Canada border crossings in recent weeks.

Conservative interim leader Candice Bergen, said Trudeau did nothing to attempt to de-escalate the situation outside Parliament Hill before invoking the Emergencies Act.

Speaking in the House of Commons, Bergen said the Conservatives are the “party of law and order,” that believes the trucks should move or be moved. However, the party would keep standing up for protesters.

Calling it a “power grab,” Bergen and other Conservatives suggest the move will backfire and will not quell demonstrations.

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Bloc Quebecois Leader Yves-François Blanchet is also critical, saying the police already have powers to arrest protesters and that bringing in additional legislation is simply a move to save face.

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh is the only party leader to signal support for the motion.

“What we are dealing with is not a protest, it is not peaceful. The organizers of this illegal occupation have been clear from the beginning… they came here to overthrow a democratically elected government. It is a movement funded by foreign influence,” Singh said.

But, he says bringing in the Act at all shows a failure of government and police to respond.

He references the number of police officers and military members who are allegedly supporting the protesters, and calls for an inquiry into what he calls “the refusal to enforce the law,” by some RCMP, police, and CAF members.

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Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland says the Emergencies Act was invoked to “restore public order.”

She notes law enforcement has already begun sharing information with financial institutions, and that these service providers “have already taken action based on that information.”

“Since Monday’s announcement, I’ve spoken directly with the heads of our major banks, and with the director of FINTRAC,” she said Thursday. “My cabinet colleagues and I are meeting regularly, very regularly, including with the commissioner of the RCMP, to discuss next steps. Our absolute priority is ending these illegal blockades and occupation.”

Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino tabled motions Wednesday evening in the House of Commons on the specific powers in the act, and the invoking of the act itself.

Mendicino assures the Emergencies Act is temporary.