Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has finally brought an end to the unprecedented emergency measures that were invoked in response to the Freedom Convoy protestors that occupied the city of Ottawa and major border crossings.
On Wednesday afternoon, Trudeau revoked the never-before-used Emergencies Act, after using the powers to grant additional authority to the government and law enforcement in response to the “illegal” Freedom Convoy blockades that shut down much of Ottawa and major Canada/US border crossings over the past several weeks. In a speech addressing the country, Trudeau said the situation is “no longer an emergency,” and that he is confident “existing laws and bylaws” are sufficient to keep people safe.”
He did, however, warn that the federal government is prepared to deploy additional measures should the situation take a turn for the worse. “We will continue to be there to support local and provincial authorities if and when needed,” he added.
As a result of the controversial order, almost 200 Canadians had been arrested as police cracked down on anti-vaccine mandate protestors, with at 100 of those individuals facing some sort of charges. The organizers of the protests have also been arrested including Tamara Lich, who, this week, was denied bail as her detention is “necessary for the protection and safety of the public.” Trudeau’s decision is effective as of Wednesday evening, and comes merely two days after lawmakers in Ottawa agreed to extend the emergency measures.
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