OTTAWA, ONTARIO — Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is facing resistance from those who believe he went too far by invoking the federal Emergencies Act to end the largely peaceful protests in his country’s capital that started nearly three weeks ago over COVID-19 restrictions.
The Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms characterized Trudeau’s actions as “government overreach” and vowed to lodge a legal complaint in a bid to overturn it.
“Peaceful protesters who feed the homeless, shovel snow, pick up garbage, dance in the streets, play street hockey, wave Canadian flags, sing the national anthem, and set up bouncy castles for children do not ‘seriously endanger the lives, health, or safety of Canadians,’ nor are these peaceful activities ‘of such proportions or nature as to exceed the capacity or authority of a province to deal with it,’” said Jay Cameron, litigation director at the Justice Centre.
Cameron added that the federal government will have to “demonstrate to a court how existing powers, both municipal and provincial laws, such as bylaws, are insufficient to deal with any issues.”
TRUDEAU INVOKES NEVER-USED EMERGENCIES ACT TO CRACK DOWN ON TRUCKER PROTESTS
On Monday, Trudeau invoked the Emergencies Act, which gives his government sweeping powers over protesters. The federal government now has the power to arrest and issue large fines, tow away vehicles to keep essential services running, freeze truckers’ personal and corporate bank accounts, and suspend the insurance on their rigs. The government is also broadening its anti-money laundering regulations to target crowdfunding sites that have popped up across Canada and the United States to support the truckers.
“These blockades are illegal, and if you are still participating, the time to go home is now,” Trudeau said in an afternoon address to the country.
Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland added: “Consider yourselves warned. Send your rigs home.”
Canadian constitutional lawyer Gordon Campbell said officials in the Department of Justice had talked often about the Emergencies Act and wondered what would happen if it was put in play.
“It’s odd to have a piece of legislation on the books for over 30 years and no one has ever used it before,” Campbell told the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. “Usually, you want to get rid of old, dusty laws. This is one in the Department of Justice that people talked about for years, and everyone just always thought, ‘Well, what if?’ And now I guess we’re all going to finally find out.”
But in Ottawa, ground zero for the protests, not much had changed by midday Tuesday.
The trucks were still parked, shoulder to shoulder, near Parliament Hill, and people draped in red and white Canadian flags still made their way to the protest site.
“Big mistake,” protester Andrew Bartley told the Washington Examiner. “This will only make people hate Trudeau more.”
As protesters stood their ground, Trudeau was getting hammered by lawmakers during the question period in the House of Commons.
The prime minister was mocked, laughed at, and loud groans could be heard when he declared it was time “for responsible leadership, not crass partisanship.”
Interim Conservative Party leader Candice Bergen repeatedly knocked Trudeau for his lack of leadership since the protests began.
“The prime minister thinks now is the time to use this extreme measure,” Bergen said. “Isn’t it true that the prime minister’s actions can serve to make things worse and not make things better?”
Trudeau responded, “This is about keeping Canadians safe.” His comments were followed by loud boos.
On Tuesday, Ottawa Police Department Chief Peter Sloly resigned from his post. Sloly led the department since 2019 but faced intense criticism for his handling of the protest in the city’s downtown core.
There were very few signs of law enforcement over the weekend, with protesters easily outnumbering police officers.
Sloly’s contract was due to end in 2024.
As late as Monday morning, Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson expressed confidence in Sloly.
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Sloly told people he was trying to avoid an incident similar to the Jan. 6 attacks in Washington, D.C.
Sloly was very vocal about the Ottawa protests and called it a “success” that there were no reports of major violence.
