February 14, 2023
Toronto, ON — The Canadian Civil Liberties Association (CCLA) is announcing a new legal victory on the first anniversary of the invocation of the Emergencies Act.
“The government had tools other than the Emergencies Act. We are arguing in court that it did not meet the high legal threshold to invoke the act. There was a blockade in Ottawa that needed to be addressed, but the Government did not need new tools to do so.”
“And certainly, it did not need to infringe on the civil liberties of all Canadians to solve the problem,” said Cara Zwibel, Director of Fundamental Freedoms for the CCLA.
While the CCLA participated in the Public Order Emergency Commission, it also took the government to court, filing an application for judicial review.
After the conclusion of the commission, the CCLA applied to introduce evidence from the commission into its court case – an application strongly contested by the government. A judge has now ruled in the CCLA’s favour and select evidence from the commission will now be considered on judicial review.
The association also released a new ebook today, Civil Liberties and the Emergencies Act that includes its submissions to the Public Order Emergency Commission. The book is available to the public, for free, at https://ccla.org/fundamental-freedoms/ebook/
“This is a dark anniversary for civil liberties in Canada and will not be forgotten,” concluded Zwibel.
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About the Canadian Civil Liberties Association
The CCLA is an independent, non-profit organization with supporters from across the country. Founded in 1964, the CCLA is a national human rights organization committed to defending the rights, dignity, safety, and freedoms of all people in Canada.
For more on the Public Order Emergency Commission, visit the CCLA’s case page, https://ccla.org/major-cases-and-reports/emergencies-act/.
Recording of this morning’s press conference : Audio / Video
Alt: https://www.cpac.ca/episode?id=e69f404e-6263-4224-8119-6c64d318c2f9
Text of statement made during the press conference
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Media Contact:
media@ccla.org
Alex Nanoff – 613.709.6318
About the Canadian Civil Liberties Association
The CCLA is an independent, non-profit organization with supporters from across the country. Founded in 1964, the CCLA is a national human rights organization committed to defending the rights, dignity, safety, and freedoms of all people in Canada.
For the Media
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