'Immediate emergency situation is over': PM Trudeau revokes Emergencies Act
Sarah Turnbull CTVNews.ca Producer
Published Wednesday, February 23, 2022 3:54PM EST
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the government will take steps to end the use of the Emergencies Act after it was invoked just over a week ago in response to the ongoing trucker convoy blockades and protests.
Trudeau made the announcement alongside Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland, Justice Minister David Lametti, Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino, and Emergency Preparedness Minister Bill Blair.
The House of Commons passed a motion on Monday confirming the time-limited emergency powers, which included sweeping financial tools to cut the convoy’s funding. The Senate is still debating the matter.
“Today, after careful consideration, we're ready to confirm that the situation is no longer an emergency. Therefore, the federal government will be ending the use of the Emergencies Act,” the prime minister said.
Trudeau added while the “immediate emergency situation is over” the issue itself “won’t go away.”
“We need to constantly work to defend and improve our democracy at home and around the world,” he said, speaking to reporters.
The Act was set to expire after 30 days had it not been revoked.
Lametti said any violations of the law that occurred during the 10 days the measures were in place will continue to be followed up on through the justice system.
In a large-scale police operation over last weekend, police squads from across the country joined forces to alleviate the truck and protester congestion in downtown Ottawa that had blockaded the city for more than three weeks.
