I saw no guns nor violence from the truck convoy protestors of a few months ago. But Prime Minister Trudeau hid from them. He flew to the Ukraine while Russia attacked that country, but he refused to talk to the convoy right outside his ‘doorstep’. Following in his father’s footsteps, he invoked the Emergencies act, but no one was kidnapped nor killed as was the case in the FLQ crisis.
The Canadian Civil Liberties Association became involved to hold the federal government accountable for its unprecedented use of the Emergencies Act last February. The court case they filed days after the government invoked emergency powers is proceeding in federal court.
The Emergencies Act Public Inquiry is set to begin its public hearings this month.
In the following letter the CCLA says, “We were granted the status that we requested in the Inquiry, meaning that we will be able to access documents, cross-examine witnesses and make written submissions on the important policy issues the Inquiry will address.
“This is not the first time that CCLA has sounded the alarm and stood to the improper use of emergency powers. We were one of the only organizations in Canada that expressed concern about their use during the October Crisis in 1970. The Commission in charge of the Inquiry has recognized this, noting our ‘mandate, history and expertise as a whole’ and our ‘apparently unique history related to the Emergencies Act and the use of emergency powers.’
“We recognize that the situation in Ottawa raised concerns for residents, in particular those from racialized and marginalized communities who felt under-protected. Though this situation had to be addressed, CCLA was and continues to be concerned about how it was addressed – and believe that it was wrong for the government to use the Emergencies Act when other measures and laws were available. We believe there was insufficient legal basis and that the government’s sweeping orders were unconstitutional. We believe that no government, today or in the future, should give itself extraordinary powers to override normal democratic processes unless the situation clearly meets the very high standards required by the Emergencies Act.
“We aim to put this government and future governments on notice, and we will fight for tangible outcomes from this Inquiry: a thorough review of the evidence that informed the government’s decision, a careful analysis of that decision, and an exacting examination of the impacts that the emergency orders had on the rights and freedoms of people in Canada.”
They are asking for donations to their organization and say, “We are committed to the long game on this issue and look forward to participating in the Inquiry and continuing our court case. But we need your help to do so. Our work on this is only possible thanks to CCLA’s dedicated and skilled staff that tirelessly work on this important matter. CCLA is an independent organization, and we rely on you, our supporters, to ensure we can continue carrying out our vital work.”
They are easily found online at: ccla.org
It is my opinion that taking on the government is no small feat. The truth will out, as they say, but I wonder, since we’ve been able to attend fairs and all manner of social events again, have we forgotten what is at stake in our country? Government is not above the law.
