Canadian Parliament passes Emergencies Act

By: Thomas I. Likness
Eagle News Service

(Eagle News) — With an opposition party supporting Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s minority government, members of the Canadian Parliament passed a motion Monday night to extend the Emergencies Act.

The New Democrats supported the Trudeau Liberals meaning the measures in the act will remain in effect until the middle of March.

The act was declared Feb. 14 but the government has to bring that motion to Parliament within seven days of declaring it.

The government has said the Emergencies Act was necessary to bring an end to the occupation of the Canadian capital of Ottawa by hundreds of protesters in the so-called Freedom Convoy.

Trudeau argued today, the act has to remain in effect for awhile yet.

“Even though the blockades are lifted across border openings right now, even though things seem to be resolving very well in Ottawa, this state of emergency is not over,” Trudeau told a news conference Monday. “There continues to be real concerns about the coming days.”

The motion to extend the act was passed by a vote of 185 to 151.

Since police began clearing the protesters Friday, 191 people have been arrested and dozens of vehicles impounded and towed.

Downtown Ottawa has begun to return to normal although police are maintaining checkpoints.

People entering the area are asked their reason for being there.

Interim Ottawa Police Chief Steve Bell says the challenge now is to keep protesters from returning.


(Eagle News Service)