Current:Home > FinanceJudge says Canada’s use of Emergencies Act to quell truckers’ protests over COVID was unreasonable -FutureFinance
Judge says Canada’s use of Emergencies Act to quell truckers’ protests over COVID was unreasonable
View
Date:2025-04-18 05:52:34
TORONTO (AP) — A Canadian judge has ruled that the government’s use of the Emergencies Act to quell weeks of protests by truckers and others angry over COVID-19 restrictions in 2022 was unreasonable and unconstitutional.
Up to thousands of protesters clogged the streets of the capital of Ottawa and besieged Parliament Hill, demonstrating against vaccine mandates for truckers and other precautions and condemning Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberal government.
The act allowed authorities to declare certain areas as no-go zones. It also allowed police to freeze truckers’ personal and corporate bank accounts and compel tow truck companies to haul away vehicles.
Members of the self-styled Freedom Convoy also blockaded U.S.-Canada border crossings in protest. Police arrested 11 people at the blockaded crossing at Coutts, Alberta, opposite Montana, after learning of a cache of guns and ammunition.
In the decision released Tuesday, Federal Court Justice Richard Mosley said the invocation of the Emergencies Act led to the infringement of constitutional rights.
“I conclude that there was no national emergency justifying the invocation of the Emergencies Act and the decision to do so was therefore unreasonable,” Mosley wrote.
Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland said the government will appeal. Freeland said it was a hard decision to invoke the act but called the protests a serious threat to public safety, national security and Canada’s economic security.
“I don’t want to minimize the gravity of the actions we took. Neither do I want to minimize the gravity of the threats Canada faced,” Freeland said.
The Canadian Civil Liberties Association and several other groups and individuals argued in court that Ottawa ushered in the emergency measures without sound grounds.
The government contended the steps it took were targeted, proportional, time-limited and compliant with Canada’s Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
A public commission led by another judge previously concluded most of the emergency measures were appropriate.
The protests were first aimed at a COVID-19 vaccine mandate for cross-border truckers. They eventually encompassed fury over COVID-19 restrictions and dislike of Trudeau, reflecting the spread of disinformation in Canada and simmering populist and right-wing anger.
The Freedom Convoy shook Canada’s reputation for civility, inspired convoys in France, New Zealand and the Netherlands and interrupted economic trade. For almost a week the busiest U.S.-Canada border crossing between Windsor, Ontario, and Detroit was blocked. It sees more than 25% of trade between the countries.
veryGood! (41)
Related
- Bill Belichick's salary at North Carolina: School releases football coach's contract details
- California's flooding reveals we're still building cities for the climate of the past
- Kim Kardashian and Engaged Couple Chris Appleton and Lukas Gage Have Fun Night at Usher Concert
- These New Photos of Gigi Hadid and Her Daughter Prove Khai Is Already Her Mini-Me
- Highlights from Trump’s interview with Time magazine
- Greta Thunberg's 'The Climate Book' urges world to keep climate justice out front
- Kate Middleton Gives a Clue on Her Coronation Outfit for King Charles III's Regal Celebration
- This Off-Shoulder Maxi Dress With Hundreds of 5-Star Amazon Reviews Is the Perfect Summer Vacation Look
- North Carolina trustees approve Bill Belichick’s deal ahead of introductory news conference
- RHOBH's Kyle Richards Reveals If She Keeps in Touch With Lisa Rinna
Ranking
- DoorDash steps up driver ID checks after traffic safety complaints
- Why some Indonesians worry about a $20 billion international deal to get off coal
- Check Out the Most Surprising Celeb Transformations of the Week
- Jennifer Aniston and Ex Justin Theroux Reunite for Dinner in NYC With Jason Bateman
- Meet the volunteers risking their lives to deliver Christmas gifts to children in Haiti
- A 15-year-old law would end fossil fuels in federal buildings, but it's on hold
- Will Mayim Bialik Appear in New Big Bang Theory Spinoff? She Says…
- Scarlett Johansson Makes Rare Comment About Ex-Husband Ryan Reynolds
Recommendation
Man can't find second winning lottery ticket, sues over $394 million jackpot, lawsuit says
NFL Star Aaron Rodgers Leaving Green Bay Packers for New York Jets
Prince William and Kate Middleton Share Unseen Photo of Queen Elizabeth II With Family Before Death
Efforts to recharge California's underground aquifers show mixed results
$73.5M beach replenishment project starts in January at Jersey Shore
El Niño has officially begun. Here's what that means for the U.S.
Ant Anstead Shares New Photos With Renée Zellweger as They Celebrate Two Years of Magic
Martin Lawrence Shares Update on Friend Jamie Foxx Amid Hospitalization