Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has invoked the country’s Emergencies Act to deal with the ongoing pandemic related trucker convoy and anti-mandate protests.
“The Federal government has invoked the Emergencies Act to supplement provincial and territorial capacity to address the blockades and occupations,” said Trudeau during a news conference this afternoon.
Trudeau claims the move will be time-limited, geographically targeted, and proportionate to the threats they are intended to address.
He says the police will be given more tools to restore order under the Act.
According to Trudeau, police will be able to tow vehicles that are blocking roads. The RCMP will be allowed to enforce provincial and municipal bylaws.
Trudeau says the military is not being called in and today’s announcement doesn’t limit people’s freedom of speech, right to protest, and legal assembly.
Breaking the Act’s orders can lead to fines of up to $5,000 and/or 5 years of imprisonment.
Finance Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland says the blockade at the Ambassador Bridge (now reopened) was affecting about $398 million in trade each day. In Coutts, Alberta she says it was about $48 million, and in Emerson Manitoba about $73 million in trade has been affected by the blockades.
Freeland says by invoking the Act,the Federal Government is “broadening the scope of Canada’s anti-money laundering and terrorist financing rules so that they cover crowdfunding platforms and the payment service providers they use.” She says that will include crypto currencies.
Freeland says the Act also allows financial institutions to temporarily cease providing services if it suspects an account is being used to further illegal blockades.
A bank will be able to immediately freeze or suspend an account. Freeland says this can be done under the Act without requiring a court order.
“If your truck is being used in these illegal blockades, your corporate accounts will be frozen. The insurance on your be suspended.” says Freeland.
Meanwhile, Conservative Interim Opposition Leader Candice Bergen says not all of the provinces were supportive of invoking the Act including, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Quebec. Bergen says her party will be taking a look at the legislation introduced today.
She says Conservatives are concerned invoking the Act will not bring about a peaceful resolution. She noted her party put forward a motion that was voted down today (185-151) in the House of Commons. The motion, sponsored by Bergen called on the government to table a plan for the lifting of all federal mandates and restrictions, and to table that plan by February 28th. It was defeated.
“Conservatives want the barricades to come down. We want this to end quickly and peacefully but in a way that Canadians feel that they have been listened to and that their Prime Minister respects them. We are concerned that this measure will have the opposite effect,” says Bergen.
I’m giving an update on the work we’re doing to end the ongoing illegal blockades and occupations across the country – and the support we’re providing to Ukraine in the face of continued Russian aggression. Watch live: https://t.co/uLZF8ewAQ2
— Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) February 14, 2022