Government Had Other Options Than The Emergencies Act

OTTAWA — The Government of Canada had options other than the emergencies act, the Canadian Civil Liberties Association (CCLA) said today in an Ottawa Press Conference.

“The Government will have to meet a very high bar at the public inquiry to show that it legally invoked the Emergencies Act,” said Cara Zwibel, Director of Fundamental Freedoms for the CCLA.

“But it is our view that the Government had options other than the act, and that it has so far failed to demonstrate a legal basis for invoking the Emergencies Act.”

“To be clear, it is our position that the government’s actions were unconstitutional.”

“It is not clear the act was ever necessary to remove the blockades. At minimum, the government should have explored other options – and remains unexplained why it did not take those steps. If the government needed additional powers, it could have sped up the passing of legislation.”

“Instead, we saw a wide-ranging order that affected every Canadian in every part of the country with deliberate ambiguity about the scope of the emergency orders.”

The CCLA was granted full standing at the Public Order Emergency Commission and expects to question witnesses.

The Public Order Emergency Commission begins tomorrow.

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Watch the press conference:
https://www.cpac.ca/episode?id=acda222d-8eb0-4d5a-be5f-a4355f83e316

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.

Media Contact:
media@ccla.org
Alex Nanoff – 613.709.6318