By Andrew Thomson | UPDATED February 17, 2022 5:03pmET
In the House: MPs debate Emergencies Act declaration
The House of Commons is considering the motion to confirm the government's declaration of a public order emergency under the Emergencies Act, in response to blockades and the occupation of downtown Ottawa.
MPs will sit until midnight ET and then sit Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from 7am ET until midnight ET. The House will return on Monday at 7am ET, with debate wrapping up at 7:30pm ET followed by a vote.
The debate began this morning with a speech from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who again defended the decision to use the Emergencies Act for the first time in its 34-year history -- the first emergency measures since the 1970 October Crisis and the previous War Measures Act.
Trudeau described the declaration of a public order emergency as a proportional, measured, and responsible response to the blockades and occupation of Ottawa.
“I ask all members of this House to stand up for families and workers, to stand up for jobs and our economy, and to stand up for the freedom of Canadians and for public safety,” says PM Trudeau, speaking in debate on motion to confirm government’s emergency declaration.#cdnpoli https://t.co/PCC4t9O283
— CPAC (@CPAC_TV) February 17, 2022
Opposition Leader Candice Bergen followed with another critique of the federal response to blockades and of the Emergencies Act, imploring MPs to "proceed with extreme caution."
“Now is the time to stand up for your constituents, to show real leadership, to help heal our divisions, to listen to those we disagree with, to not shut them down, to not tell them that they are irrelevant, to not speak insults to them,” says Candice Bergen in House.#cdnpoli https://t.co/sFYCZhcjFa
— CPAC (@CPAC_TV) February 17, 2022
Trudeau, Bergen, and other MPs are speaking to this motion moved yesterday by Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino:
That, pursuant to section 58 of the Emergencies Act, this House confirm the declaration of a public order emergency proclaimed on February 14, 2022.
The Emergencies Act requires the government to table such a motion before both houses of Parliament within seven sitting days of the declaration; the Senate has been recalled to sit Friday in anticipation.
Emergencies Act: Read the official declaration
The Conservatives and Bloc Québécois signalled they will oppose the motion, though NDP support would give the Liberal minority government enough votes to secure its passage.
« La liberté est une question d’équilibre. Équilibre entre la liberté individuelle et la liberté collective. Le jugement à cet égard demande... du jugement », affirme le chef du Bloc YF Blanchet. en signifiant que le PM Trudeau a échoué son test de leadership.#polcan pic.twitter.com/n24T2GEkF8
— CPAC (@CPAC_TV) February 17, 2022
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh said his party would withdraw that support if federal powers are being misused, telling the House this morning that Canada reached this point through a failure of political and police leadership.
"We are not proud of supporting these measures," Singh said in response to a question.
“This is my hope: That our decisions in the coming days are guided by this desire to build a better and safer, more just world where all of our children believe that they belong,” says NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh in debate on govt's motion to confirm emergency declaration.#cdnpoli https://t.co/wegGfgNyO9
— CPAC (@CPAC_TV) February 17, 2022
The declaration is automatically voided if either the House of Commons or Senate votes down the motion. Otherwise, the declaration automatically expires after 30 days unless continued or revoked.
Twenty MPs or 10 senators can also 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.
And, the Act requires the government to provide Parliament with information its consultation with the provinces and territories.
Read the government's consultation report and the letter sent to premiers on the Emergencies Act:
Cabinet's formal order-in-council justified the emergency declaration because of:
(i) the continuing blockades by both persons and motor vehicles that is occurring at various locations throughout Canada and the continuing threats to oppose measures to remove the blockades, including by force, which blockades are being carried on in conjunction with activities that are directed toward or in support of the threat or use of acts of serious violence against persons or property, including critical infrastructure, for the purpose of achieving a political or ideological objective within Canada,
(ii) the adverse effects on the Canadian economy — recovering from the impact of the pandemic known as the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) — and threats to its economic security resulting from the impacts of blockades of critical infrastructure, including trade corridors and international border crossings,
(iii) the adverse effects resulting from the impacts of the blockades on Canada’s relationship with its trading partners, including the United States, that are detrimental to the interests of Canada,
(iv) the breakdown in the distribution chain and availability of essential goods, services and resources caused by the existing blockades and the risk that this breakdown will continue as blockades continue and increase in number, and
(v) the potential for an increase in the level of unrest and violence that would further threaten the safety and security of Canadians.
The provisions include:
- Broadening the scope of money laundering and terrorist funding rules to target crowdfunding platforms and payment providers, which must register with FINTRAC and report large and suspicious transactions;
- Authorizing Canadian financial institutions to cease, without a court order, service to accounts suspected of furthering illegal blockades and occupations;
- Allowing for the suspension of bank accounts and vehicle insurance of companies with trucks taking part in blockades;
- Allowing the RCMP to enforce provincial law and municipal by-laws as needed
Watch today's question period in the House of Commons:
Civil liberties group plans legal challenge of Emergencies Act
The Canadian Civil Liberties Association wants a judicial review of the federal measures enacted via the Emergencies Act.
"The government has brought in an extreme measure that should be reserved for national emergencies, a legal standard that has not been met," CCLA executive director Noa Mendelsohn Aviv says as she announces civil liberties group's challenge over use of Emergencies Act.#cdnpoli pic.twitter.com/9FpI0o6UUH
— CPAC (@CPAC_TV) February 17, 2022
Watch the full news conference:
Watch: Ottawa police update on convoy response
Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland spoke with reporters about the financial measures invoked in the Emergencies Act, joined by federal ministers Marco Mendicino (public safety) and Bill Blair (emergency preparedness).
"It gives me no pleasure to impose any of these measures," Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland says of financial measures invoked through the Emergencies Act; she warns protesters "the consequences are real and they will bite. It is time for you to go home."#cdnpoli pic.twitter.com/Q7UAjIeK2G
— CPAC (@CPAC_TV) February 17, 2022
Freeland also announced the federal government will be providing a one-time $750-million top up of transit funding for municipalities to help recoup losses caused by the pandemic.
In Committee
Immigration Minister Sean Fraser appears at the immigration committee for questions on his department’s processing times and acceptance rates. 11am ET / 8am PT
Fisheries and Oceans Minister Joyce Murray briefs the fisheries committee on her ministerial mandate. 11am ET / 8am PT
Stéphane Perreault, the chief electoral officer, goes before the procedure committee. 11am ET / 8am PT
Transport Minister Omar Alghabra discusses his ministerial mandate and takes questions at the transport committee. 3:30pm ET / 12:30pm PT
Labour Minister Seamus O’Regan and Employment Minister Carla Qualtrough perform the same task at Alghabra, but at the human resources committee. 3:30pm ET / 12:30pm PT
Today in Politics Podcast: Mark Sutcliffe and John Ivison
The Conservatives say they will not support using the Emergencies Act. Justin Trudeau says using force to end the protests is not his call. The prime minister and MPs are scolded after a heated exchange during question period.
Here's your morning update with Mark Sutcliffe:
