Parliamentarians are set to hold a historic debate Thursday morning and are expected to exchange barbs about Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s decision to invoke the Emergencies Act and give the government never-before-used powers to quash the ongoing convoy blockades.
Trudeau will kick off the debate with an address in the House of Commons at 10 a.m. EST, which Global News will carry live. MPs will eventually — though not necessarily on Thursday — vote on the motion. If a vote on the motion fails, the state of emergency will be revoked.
Read more:
What powers will the Emergencies Act give the government? Here’s what the convoy can expect
The government has justified the use of the Emergencies Act by arguing that the blockades are an emergency, and by claiming that those involved have vowed to push back at efforts to clear them with plans that officials believe could include “serious violence” for “a political or ideological objective.”
Not everyone in the House supports the decision, however. While NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh has said his party will support the motion — which should give it enough votes to pass — Conservative Interim Leader Candice Bergen has already expressed her opposition to the emergency powers.
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“We haven’t seen the legislation. We do have to see it. I don’t think anything that we will see will change our mind,” Bergen told reporters on Wednesday.
“We will be opposing it.”
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Bloc Quebecois Leader Yves-Francois Blanchet has also spoken against the Act, saying existing police powers should be enough to allow the Ottawa police and RCMP to clear the protesters from the area.
The motion will give the government a number of new powers. The regulations make it a punishable offence to join the blockades, stay there, or assist the protestors with things like food or fuel. They also bar kids under 18 from travelling “to or within 500 metres of” any of the convoy demonstrations.
The rules also lay out new requirements for financial institutions, including an order to report to the RCMP and CSIS if they find any blockade participants are using their services.
Contravention of these new rules could lead to a fine of up to $5,000 or up to five years behind bars.
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