OTTAWA – POLITICS – Prime Minister Trudeau has held discussions over the Emergencies Act being implemented as a measure to combat the ongoing protests in Ottawa and at border crossings across Canada.
The Prime Minister says that the federal government is ready to use more tools at its disposal.
After discussing with caucus and consulting with premiers across Canada and with the leaders of opposition parties, the Prime Minister says he has invoked the measures of the Emergencies Act.
“This is about keeping Canadians safe”, said the Prime Minister. “The Police will be given new powers to put down occupations and blockades. The government will protect border crossings and airports and work to protect people’s jobs.
“The government will take measures to control the funding of the blockages. There is no more to bring in the military, or suspect the Charter of Rights and Freedoms”, continued Trudeau.
The Prime Minister has brought in some very sweeping measures. One of the areas is that banks are being requested to examine accounts to see if there is potential for money being used in the blockades. Massive upgrade to FinTracking. Crowd-funding sites will be severely regulated. Truckers will see potentially their licences suspended, their insurance cancelled, and their trucks seized.
Deputy Prime Minister Freeland says “If your truck is part of the convoy, the government can freeze your bank accounts and cancel your insurance”. Freehand also said that banks can do this without a court orders.
The Prime Minister says the measures will be limited in time.
This is legislation that was passed in 1985, replacing the War Measures Act.
The War Measures Act was brought in three times, World War One, World War Two, and by former Prime Minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau in 1970 during the Quebec FLQ Crisis.
Lawyers for the truckers say this issue will be fought in the courts.