By Canadian Press

Trudeau defends Emergencies Act use as a measure of last resort

Feb 17, 2022 | 10:07 AM

OTTAWA — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says using the Emergencies Act is a measure of last resort to bring an end to the illegal and undemocratic blockades that have harmed Canadians for nearly three weeks now.

The House of Commons is debating the use of the Emergencies Act and will later vote on the government’s decision to invoke the law for the first time since it was introduced in 1988.

Trudeau says everyone is tired of COVID-19 and protests expressing displeasure with the government’s decisions on how to handle the pandemic are not a problem.

He says the extraordinary powers under the act are being used only because of the illegal blockade of Canadian streets and critical infrastructure funded in part by foreign entities.

Interim Conservative leader Candice Bergen says her party does not support the use of the act because the government has not proven the demonstrations pose a serious threat to Canada’s sovereignty, security or territorial integrity and couldn’t be dealt with under existing laws.

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Bergen is highly critical of NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh for supporting the use of the act and says history will not judge that decision kindly.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 17, 2022.

The Canadian Press