Ottawa to seek advice before changing law
The federal government is open to possible changes to the Emergencies Act but says it first wants to consult widely on the law it invoked to quell “Freedom Convoy” protests two years ago.
In a final response Wednesday to a commission of inquiry, the Liberal government also outlined steps it is taking to improve the flow of intelligence and protect key transportation corridors.
However, the government played down any need to adopt many of the commission’s suggested changes to policing protocols — in some cases because police are already making adjustments.
The Public Order Emergency Commission led by Justice Paul Rouleau made 56 recommendations, with almost two dozen specifically related to the emergencies law itself.
In early February 2022, downtown Ottawa was besieged by protesters, many in large trucks that rolled into town beginning in late January. Initially billed as a demonstration against COVID-19 health restrictions, the gathering attracted people with various grievances against Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his government.
Meanwhile, the protests spread and trucks clogged key routes to the United States at Windsor, Ont., and Coutts, Alta.
On Feb. 14, 2022, the government invoked the Emergencies Act. That allowed for temporary measures including regulation and prohibition of public assemblies, the designation of secure places, direction to banks to freeze assets and a ban on support for participants.
It was the first time the law had been used since it replaced the War Measures Act in 1988.
In a Feb. 15 letter to premiers, Trudeau said the federal government believed it had reached a point “where there is a national emergency arising from threats to Canada’s security.”
In a recent decision, Federal Court Justice Richard Mosley said invoking the Emergencies Act was unreasonable and led to the infringement of constitutional rights. The federal government is appealing the ruling.
However, the Public Order Emergency Commission found early last year that the government met the very high legal standard for using the law.
Even so, Rouleau called for an indepth review of the provisions dealing with public order emergencies.
The federal response says the government will engage multiple parties on Rouleau’s recommendations concerning the Emergencies Act.