The federal government will announce on Monday that it will use the Emergency Measures Act to dismantle the blockades of the “freedom convoy” opposed to health measures.
The duty confirmed the information, first published by CBC / Radio-Canada, according to which the Prime Minister intends to take drastic measures to resolve the crisis which has been going on for more than two weeks in downtown Ottawa, and which is is extended to the country’s border crossing points.
The Trudeau government believes that it could then grant the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) the power to enforce provincial and municipal laws on the ground. As specified by the Prime Minister on Friday, there would be no question of deploying the army on the streets of Ottawa to put an end to the occupation.
The federal government would also like to take advantage of this law to protect essential infrastructure, such as border bridges, for example. The powers provided for in the law would also allow him to force towing companies to dislodge trucks. Companies have refused to do so so far, in particular because of threats made against them by demonstrators.
The Emergencies Act replaced the War Measures Act in 1988 and has never been used. It is intended to be invoked in a situation of national crisis which temporarily jeopardizes the prosperity of the whole country or exceeds the capacity or the powers of intervention of the provinces. This does not exempt the public authorities from respecting the fundamental rights of individuals.
Prime Minister Trudeau had refused to use the special powers conferred by this law at the start of the pandemic.
More details will follow.
With Marie Vastel
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