By Andrew Thomson | UPDATED 6:07pmET
Emergencies Act: Read the official declaration
PrimeTime Politics: The Emergencies Act and the Blockades
Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson joins CPAC’s Peter Van Dusen to discuss what is being done to bring an end to the ongoing protests in the nation’s capital, the federal government's use of the Emergencies Act, and the efforts of Ottawa police to remove protesters:
Journalists Marieke Walsh (Globe and Mail), Tonda MacCharles (Toronto Star), and Joël-Denis Bellavance (La Presse) weigh in on the blockades and protests and the federal emergency declaration:
In the House: Question Period and the Emergencies Act
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is again under fire from Conservatives at question period over the Emergencies Act, after saying this morning that no federal force would be used to end blockades, and after ministers defended the emergency declaration:
"No, I'm not going to be using force. The decisions made will be by police doing their jobs the right possible way," Prime Minister Justin Trudeau tells reporters ahead of caucus meeting when asked about the possibility of using force to clear ongoing protests.#cdnpoli pic.twitter.com/ePgDud3ntp
— CPAC (@CPAC_TV) February 16, 2022
“While we’ve made progress, it’s not guaranteed," explains Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino when asked about the government's invoking the Emergency Measures Act after most border blockades were resolved.#cdnpoli pic.twitter.com/xPZH2W2lJl
— CPAC (@CPAC_TV) February 16, 2022
Watch Wednesday's question period, where Trudeau provided all responses on behalf of the government:
Watch federal ministers Bill Blair (emergency preparedness), Marco Mendicino (public safety) and David Lametti (justice) take questions on the Emergencies Act and the response to blockades
Today the Conservative interim leader said her party would not support the Emergencies Act declaration when the motion is presented to Parliament.
Speaking with reporters after Conservative caucus meeting, leader Candice Bergen explained her party’s decision not to support the use of the Emergencies Act. The decision comes ahead of the expected tabling in the House of a motion to confirm the emergency declaration.#cdnpoli pic.twitter.com/sUBLmdmc6p
— CPAC (@CPAC_TV) February 16, 2022
The government must table a "motion for confirmation of a declaration of emergency" before both the House and Senate within seven sitting days, according to the act; the Senate has been recalled to sit Friday morning in anticipation of receiving the declaration.
Debate "without interruption" begins the next sitting day. The declaration is automatically voided if either chamber votes down the motion.
Otherwise, the declaration automatically expires after 30 days unless continued or revoked.
Twenty MPs or 10 senators can trigger a motion to revoke the emergency declaration. Voting would take place after no more than 10 hours of debate.
(The Emergencies Act also requires a special parliamentary committee of MPs and senators to take an oath of secrecy, provide oversight, and eventually produce a report to Parliament.)
Conservatives are criticizing the transparency surrounding the declaration, including Trudeau's decision to announce the emergency at a news conference instead of the floor of the House of Commons.
Conservative House leader John Brassard told reporters ahead of caucus meeting he was "profoundly disappointed" that the prime minister "didn't have the courtesy or the respect" to announce in Parliament he was invoking the Emergencies Act in response to protests.#cdnpoli pic.twitter.com/ejNgaKcr3v
— CPAC (@CPAC_TV) February 16, 2022
The Bloc Québécois will also oppose the declaration -- and wants the government to avoid applying the Emergencies Act in Quebec.
"The nature of the intervention of the federal government in this situation is more political than a matter of safety and security of the people of Ottawa," Bloc leader Yves-François Blanchet said as he explained why his party will not support use of Emergencies Act. #cdnpoli pic.twitter.com/xlg3s5QlyY
— CPAC (@CPAC_TV) February 16, 2022
NDP support of the Emergencies Act is conditional on the government avoiding overreach according to party leader Jagmeet Singh.
"We're very reluctant in providing our support and we want to make sure that the support is clearly directed towards solving this crisis," NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh tells reporters after caucus meeting on the government invoking Emergencies Act in response to blockades.#cdnpoli pic.twitter.com/a8WewqG08O
— CPAC (@CPAC_TV) February 16, 2022
Watch Singh's news conference:
Ottawa police have started to distribute written notices that order demonstrators to "leave the area now" and "cease further unlawful activity" in the wake of the federal emergency declaration.
And at Emerson, Man., remaining demonstrators will begin to leave the border crossing after negotiations between police and protesters.
Watch: Manitoba RCMP update on Emerson border crossing
In the House: Online Regulation
Debate begins on the government's latest online regulation bill that would place streaming services and social media platforms under the federal Broadcasting Act, subjecting them to the same rules and regulations as traditional Canadian broadcasters and giving new regulatory powers to the CRTC.
The government maintained that the former Bill C-10 would not infringe upon Canadians' right to free speech on social media platforms, despite widespread concerns over the CRTC's power to regulate user-generated content.
MPs also vote on Bill C-12 at second reading.
Today in Politics Podcast: Mark Sutcliffe and Dan Leger
The prime minister and the leader of the opposition clash over the use of the Emergencies Act; what comes next in the effort to end illegal blockades across the country? And the government announces the easing of some pandemic border measures.
Here's your morning update with Mark Sutcliffe:
