As downtown Ottawa slowly and painfully frees itself, all eyes turn to the NDP.
Posted at 6:00 a.m.
The debate resumes this weekend on the Emergency Measures Act. A vote is expected in the coming days. The Conservatives and the Bloc will vote against.
The minority Liberal government therefore needs the support of the New Democratic Party (NDP). Otherwise, the law will cease to apply.
The NDP leader surely wants to quote Jerry Maguire: “Help us help you! »
I will write in the conditional to reduce my risk of regret: it seems that the police will succeed in putting an end to the headquarters of the federal capital in a few days. It could be over on Tuesday, the probable day of the vote.
Would the law still be useful? David Lametti, Minister of Justice, suggests yes. “The situation is fluid,” he explained on Friday. Barricades could be erected again at border crossings. According to him, this exceptional law would help to dismantle them.
Behind the scenes, I’m told that police report defusing blocking plans at at least one customs post.
It remains that the Emergency Measures Act is not meant to be invoked as a preventive measure. It must respond to a serious threat to health and safety. A real danger, not presumed. Not to mention that the Ambassador Bridge, linking Windsor to Detroit, was freed by Ontario police before the invocation of the Emergency Measures Act. So they didn’t need it.
The NDP will want better arguments. Its leader, Jagmeet Singh, has so far had a responsible attitude. He resisted the temptation to draw lame parallels with the October Crisis in 1970.
Mr. Singh showed himself in favor of the principle of the law – a posture a priori surprising for a left-wing party, which is explained by the fact that this seat is more an attempt to hijack democracy than a conventional manifestation. But the New Democrat leader does not rule out revising his position if the situation on the ground changes.
For him, it’s a thankless situation. Faced with a minority government, the opposition can usually negotiate a gain. But there is no give and take here. Just a right of veto, which comes with heavy responsibilities.
Was the law really helpful to the occupiers of Ottawa? Yes, repeated four Liberal ministers Friday afternoon at a press conference.
According to them, it has notably made it possible to decree a prohibited zone in the city center, to require that tugs move trucks and to impose heavy penalties.
They did not give more information, and that is understandable.
The government does not want to give the impression of directing or commenting on a police operation. Especially if it is ongoing.
Ottawa’s interim police chief was clear: the law made his job easier.
One thing is certain, Ottawans are finally seeing a return to normal life.
Chrystia Freeland, Minister of Finance, adds that the law has been used in three other ways: to freeze bank accounts without a court warrant, to suspend the insurance of a truck used in the headquarters and finally to subject crowdfunding and transactions in cryptocurrencies at the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Center of Canada. She does not divulge further details, in the name of confidentiality of records.
In Parliament, however, the Trudeau government will have to prove it differently. Its task is not to demonstrate that the law has been useful. Rather, he must demonstrate that it was and remains legitimate. That it meets the criteria provided, namely to counter a serious threat in the face of which the provinces are powerless.
The Bloc’s refusal is not surprising. It relays the consensus of the National Assembly.
François Legault is not in favor of this exemption measure. The lack of consultation partly explains the reasons.
Justin Trudeau’s conference call last Monday with his provincial counterparts had been convened the day before at around 7:30 p.m. The premiers were unaware that it would be about the Emergency Measures Act. They did not receive any documents or very precise descriptions for this strong measure. It surprised. Especially since none of them had asked for it.
As for the Conservatives, they are difficult to follow. Their interim leader, Candice Bergen, accused Justin Trudeau of “dividing Canadians” with this law. Like many, I have criticized the liberal politicization of the pandemic. However, the Conservatives have done worse.
Even if Quebec MPs were responsible, the Trumpist faction of the party, led by Pierre Poilievre, did everything to fuel the crisis.
This is where we are.
Whatever will remain of the headquarters in Ottawa at the start of the week, Mr. Trudeau will have to clarify how the maintenance of the Emergency Measures Act is necessary.
And if he wants to remove the “arguments” of the occupants of the capital, he could present a deconfinement plan, with a date for the end of compulsory vaccination for truckers and state employees. If Public Health agrees, of course.
This won’t calm down his more radical opponents, but they will shout less loudly. People who still believe in democracy will be able to start debating amongst themselves again.