By David Opinko

BREAKING: Trudeau revokes Emergencies Act

Feb 23, 2022 | 2:14 PM

OTTAWA, ONT – The Emergencies Act is no more.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Wednesday that the Act, which gave police temporary emergency powers to end the convoy blockades, has been revoked.

He said, at the time, creating those powers was the “responsible and necessary thing to do,” but now, “the situation is no longer an emergency.”

Trudeau now says order has been restored and that, while threats remain, police and existing legislation will be enough to prevent other occupations.

The House of Commons passed a motion to approve the measures under the act Monday evening, with the NDP voting in favour alongside the minority Liberal government.

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It was not a motion that was popular with Southern Alberta’s Conservative MPs, who all spoke out against the Act and the vote to approve it.

A key part of the Act was the ability for the government to freeze the bank accounts of protesters who refused to leave. Trudeau said the process is already underway to unfreeze those accounts.

Within 60 days, a parliamentary committee will complete an inquiry into the Emergencies Act, including why it was created and the powers that it granted.

The full press conference, which includes Trudeau, Finance Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland, and Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino, can be watched in full here.

More to come.

by David Opinko