The Liberal government has now revealed it has spent more than $3.6 million battling court challenges to its unprecedented and illegal use of the Emergencies Act during the peaceful Freedom Convoy protests.

According to a written response tabled in Parliament to a question from Conservative MP Andrew Lawton, the Department of Justice confirmed that as of June 6, 2025, the federal government’s legal tab for four separate lawsuits has reached approximately $3,645,000.

The cases include:

• Canadian Frontline Nurses and Kristen Nagle v. Attorney General of Canada

• Canadian Civil Liberties Association v. Attorney General of Canada

• Canadian Constitution Foundation v. Attorney General of Canada

• Jeremiah Jost, Edward Cornell, Vincent Gircys and Harold Ristau v. Governor in Council, Attorney General of Canada, and Minister of Public Safety

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The government noted that much of this figure comes from “notional costs” — the calculated value of salaried federal lawyers’ time — rather than traditional outside legal bills. Still, taxpayers are footing the bill for disbursements, litigation support services, and any contracted legal agents.

The disclosure comes after years of criticism that Ottawa has poured resources into defending its decision to invoke the Emergencies Act, which gave then-prime minister Justin Trudeau's cabinet sweeping powers to freeze bank accounts, restrict movement and shut down protests.

Civil liberties groups successfully argued before the Federal Court that the use of the law was unconstitutional and unnecessary, while the government maintains its use was justified to restore order in Ottawa and at border blockades.

The anti-mandate Freedom Convoy protested in the streets of Ottawa for approximately three weeks beginning in late January 2022.

The Trudeau Liberals invoked the Emergencies Act to permit the use of extraordinary enforcement powers, including arrests and financial seizures, to put an end to the demonstration.