OTTAWA — A public inquiry is underway to determine whether the federal government was justified in its invocation of the Emergencies Act last winter during the…
After dozens of witnesses gave testimony and hundreds of sensitive documents were submitted into evidence, the Public Order Emergency Commission began its final week of hearings Monday.Sign up to receive daily headline news from Ottawa Citizen, a division of Postmedia Network Inc.By clicking on the sign up button you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. You may unsubscribe any time by clicking on the unsubscribe link at the bottom of our emails.
Under the act, such an emergency either “seriously endangers the lives, health or safety of Canadians and is of such proportions or nature as to exceed the capacity or authority of a province to deal with it,” or “seriously threatens the ability of the government of Canada to preserve the sovereignty, security and territorial integrity of Canada.”
— activities directed toward or supportive of the threat or use of “serious violence against persons or property” for a political, religious or ideological objective; — the “adverse effects on the Canadian economy,” as well as “threats to its economic security,” the “breakdown in the distribution chain and availability of essential goods, services and resources” and adverse impacts on Canada’s relationship with its trading partners; andArticle content
Government regulations made under the act specified that the places that could be secured included all areas of critical infrastructure — including transportation hubs, utilities infrastructure, border crossings, power plants, hospitals and “locations where COVID-19 vaccines are administered.”Article content
A person who contravened the emergency orders would face a fine of up to $5,000, five years in prison or both if they were indicted, per the act. Upon a less serious summary conviction, a person would face up to $500, a prison sentence of up to six months or both.Article contentUnder the Emergencies Act, the government was able to regulate or prohibit “the use of property” to fund or support the blockades.
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