A document released to the Rouleau commission shows that before invoking the Emergencies Act last winter, Justin Trudeau told Doug Ford that the police did not need more legal tools to dislodge protesters from the Ambassador Bridge.
A record of that Feb. 9 conversation between the two prime ministers has been filed as evidence before the Emergency Commission, which is investigating the federal government’s decision to invoke the Emergencies Act. This law gave authorities temporary and exceptional powers to clear protesters from downtown Ottawa and border crossings.
According to this account, Mr. Ford told Mr. Trudeau that the reopening of the Ambassador Bridge, between Windsor and Detroit, was a priority for his government, and that the Attorney General of Ontario was seeking legal means to give the police more tools.
Mr. Trudeau then declares that this protest is illegal and that the Ontario government should not need more legal tools, according to the minutes.
Justin Trudeau’s Liberal government invoked the Emergencies Act on Feb. 14, the same day the Ambassador Bridge, freed from protesters, reopened to traffic.
The State of Emergency Commission, chaired by Judge Paul Rouleau, is holding public hearings in Ottawa until November 25.
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