The long debate was launched Thursday morning in the House of Commons, in Ottawa, on the subject of the decree which applies since Tuesday evening the Act on emergency measures in Canada to put an end to the blockades of the “freedom convoy” anti- sanitary measures. A crucial vote will be held at the end of this debate, of an unknown duration.
“Lockdowns are illegal, they are a threat to our economy, to supply chains [et] for public safety,” Prime Minister Justin Trudeau repeated in his opening remarks shortly after 10 a.m. Thursday.
Acting Leader of the Opposition Candice Bergen entered the Chamber during the Prime Minister’s speech. It was one of his colleagues, Alberta MP Dane Lloyd, who asked his party’s first questions. He asked for evidence of links between the convoy and extremist groups. The Conservatives start heckling Justin Trudeau’s response.
“This is a historic and extremely disappointing moment,” said Ms. Bergen later, who will vote against the motion.
The leader of the Bloc Québécois, Yves-François Blanchet, like that of the New Democratic Party, Jagmeet Singh, were present in person in the House of Commons. In front of the building are still many trucks, cars and demonstrators who brave the rain and the repeated warnings of the police.
“How can the Prime Minister claim from the beginning of his speech that there is no other way to intervene, and why does he not exclude Quebec and the other provinces which do not want to be subjected or use the power of this law? chanted Bloc Québécois Yves-François Blanchet, who has already announced his opposition to the motion.
“What responsibility is the Prime Minister prepared to take for the inaction that made the Emergencies Act necessary? asked New Democrat Jagmeet Singh, whose party supports the invocation of emergency measures.
He later asked the Conservative leader: “Do you regret having endorsed a movement that proposes to overthrow our democracy? She had earlier indicated that the demonstrators are “our neighbors” and reminded elected officials of the responsibility to represent all their constituents.
Now that the blockades have been lifted at the border points with the United States of Coutts, Alberta, Emerson, Manitoba, and Windsor, Ontario, only the City of Ottawa is dealing with a protest by truckers in its center, static for almost three weeks. The local MP, Liberal Yasir Navqi, took the floor to say that ” [sa] community is being held hostage, and this protest is neither peaceful nor legal. »
The debates could continue for part of the day on Thursday, or even the night, while outside the parliamentary precincts the police warned on Wednesday that a police operation is expected “within hours and days future “.
More details will follow.
With Marie Vastel