Canada awaits Emergencies Act Public Inquiry Report as Freedom Convoy Protest is chosen as 2022 newsmaker of the year

BY PAUL JUNOR

Attention was focused on Canada when the Freedom Convoy gathered in Ottawa in February 2022 and occupations blocked borders. Many pro-choice protests disrupted downtown Ottawa and after two weeks of occupation PM Trudeau invoked the Emergencies Act on February 14^th, 2022.

On April 25^th, 2022, it was revealed that the Public Order Emergency Commission would be formed as an independent public inquiry following the invocation of the Emergencies Act. (www.pm.gc.ca). The commission will examine the circumstances that led to the declaration being issued and the measures taken in response to the emergency.

Honourable Bill Blair (Minister of Emergency Preparedness) stated in the press release,  “Invoking the Emergencies Act was a decision taken only after careful consideration and with significant caution. As we reflect on the circumstances that led to this action, Canadians can have confidence this Commission will be undertaken in a thorough and independent manner, as the Act itself requires.”

Prime Minister Trudeau states, “Ensuring the safety and security of everyone in Canada and protecting our economy are top priorities. I am pleased to announce that the Honourable Paul S. Rouleau has agreed to serve as the Commissioner and undertake this important work. He will look into the circumstances that led to the Emergencies Act being invoked, and make recommendations to prevent these from happening again.”

Commissioner Paul Rouleau commenced the hearing with an opening statement on Thursday, October 13^th, 2022. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau testified on November 28^th.

The Canadian Security Intelligence Services (CSIS) vaguely defines a threat as, ”An emergency that arises from threats to the security of Canada, and that is so serious as to be a national emergency.” The act, which spells out what threats to the security of Canada means, can be seen at laws-lois.justice.gc.ca.

CSIS director David Vigneault testified that the convoy protest did not meet the legal threshold for a public-order emergency within the context of the legal definitions. Although, later he told PM Trudeau that he was in favour of invoking the Emergency Act.

Editors in newsrooms selected the Freedom Convoy across Canada as the news story of the year 2022. Dawn Walton, managing editor of CTV Calgary wrote, “As the ‘Freedom Convoy’ began rolling east and crowdfunding support soared into the millions, it became clear these protestors would both bark and bite.”

It was clear that two years of pandemic restrictions galvanized many of the protestors to take matters into their own hands. Maggie Hope Braun, who hailed from Peterborough states, ”We had spent a long time feeling like we were really alone.”

Furthermore, there was specific anger and rage directed at Prime Minister Trudeau. Murray Wood of 980 CJME based in Regina states, “The self-described ‘Freedom Convoy’ protests may have been unclear on their goals and ill-informed as to how to pursue them, but they reflected a schism in our society that is ignored at our peril.”

He continues, ”Rarely has an act of protest been so dramatically acted upon by the highest levels of power in Canada.”

Marco Viglottie, city editor of the Ottawa Citizen and the Ottawa Sun wrote in the survey response, ”The ‘Freedom Convoy’ protests brought international attention to Canada and forced the country to grapple with an angry, conspiratorial populist wave.”

Tim Switzer, managing editor of the Regina writes, ”Love them or hate them, the convoy protestors impacted most Canadians’ daily lives in 2022 and showed the fractures in our country.”

Details about the public inquiry can be seen at:  www.PublicOrderEmergencyCommission.ca