Trudeau’s emergency powers upheld in Canada’s House amid worries ‘Freedom Convoy’ could return

“The Emergencies Act is not something to undertake lightly, and it’s something that needs to be momentary, temporary and proportional,” Trudeau said, pledging that his government would evaluate whether to extend the order on a daily basis.

Even though the prime minister was allowed to use the powers authorized under the Emergencies Act immediately, parliamentary approval is required within seven days for the declaration to be valid. Canada’s Senate must also vote on whether it approves the use of emergency powers, though no date has been set.

What is the Emergencies Act, which Trudeau invoked against Canada’s trucker protests?

Monday’s vote was largely divided along party lines, with the New Democratic Party joining Trudeau’s Liberal Party to secure the majority. Lawmakers from the Conservative and Bloc Québécois parties all cast opposing votes, reflecting the pushback and criticism that Trudeau has received from the right for his handling of the protests.

Provincial leaders were also split over Trudeau’s emergency powers: Doug Ford, premier of Ontario, supported the invocation, while Alberta’s leader, Jason Kenney, promised to challenge the federal government in court.

The 34-year-old law, which was put to use for the first time last week, gives the Canadian government broad powers and tools to respond to national emergencies, authorizing federal authorities “to intrude into areas that would normally be under provincial jurisdiction during an emergency,” one legal expert explained.

Under the Emergencies Act, the protest area on Parliament Hill and in the surrounding parliamentary precinct has been declared prohibited for public assembly. The millions of dollars raised for the protesters through crowdfunding sites could also be denied under Canada’s money-laundering and terrorism-financing laws, and at least 76 accounts have been frozen.

Minister of Public Security Marco Mendicino said Monday that vigilance is still needed because some protesters affiliated with the Freedom Convoy — which started in response to coronavirus vaccination rules for cross-border truckers — are still reportedly in the Ottawa area. Law enforcement officials also continue to closely monitor the situation in ports of entry like Windsor, Ontario, the busiest U.S.-Canada land crossing.

“We do not want to use the Emergencies Act for a single moment longer than is necessary,” Mendicino said.