Bloc Québécois leader slams Trudeau’s use of Emergencies Act to deal with freedom protests

THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld

2024 Student Journalism Conference

Applications are now open for The Democracy Fund's third annual Student Journalism Conference. This is a one-of-a-kind, all-expenses-paid opportunity for young aspiring journalists in Canada!

TDF Student Journalism Conference 2024

E-transfer (Canada):
[email protected] - password RebelNews if required

Cheques made out to Rebel News:
Rebel News Network Ltd.
PO Box 61056 Eglinton/Dufferin RO
Toronto, ON M6E 5B2

Crypto

Bloc Québécois leader Yves-François Blanchet is the latest voice to object to the Trudeau government’s use of the Emergencies Act to respond to the ongoing “Freedom Convoy” protests in Ottawa and elsewhere across the nation. 

“Let's understand clearly that Quebec, Quebec government and us do not want this law to be implemented on the territory of Quebec. It is not legitimate, and it is useless,” he said Monday. 

WATCH: 

"Let's understand clearly that Quebec, Quebec government and us do not want this law to be implemented on the territory of Quebec. It is not legitimate and it is useless," Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet says of using Emergencies Act to respond to protests.#cdnpoli pic.twitter.com/Z8LUW29jz4

— CPAC (@CPAC_TV) February 14, 2022

Blanchet joined the premiers of Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Quebec in opposition to the measures, which Trudeau described as “temporary.” Much like previous “temporary” measures, the Emergencies Act can be indefinitely renewed for as long as Parliament supports it upon review every 30 days.  

As previously reported by Rebel News, Trudeau invoked the Emergencies Act to respond to the protests.   

“The illegal blockades have been disrupting the lives of too many Canadians,” Trudeau said Monday afternoon during a press briefing, claiming small businesses have been enduring “illegal obstruction” and that protesters are “breaking the law.” 

While insisting that Canadians’ right to peacefully protest and express their discontent with the government will be protected, Trudeau clarified that the blockades are illegal — and hopes that the imposition of the new powers will reduce the size and frequency of such protests.  

The move, as previously detailed by Rebel News, will be enforced through the federal government’s forced procurement of privately-owned tow trucks and other means to remove blockade vehicles. The emergency powers also provide financial institutions such as banks to regulate and prohibit the use of property to fund or support the blockades, which have been deemed illegal. 

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police will be enlisted to enforce bylaws “where required,” Trudeau said. 

As of today, financial institutions with be “authorized or directed” to “prohibit the use of property” or freeze accounts - personal or corporate- if the institution suspects that the account holder is financing illegal blockades. pic.twitter.com/UN36KGDDM1

— Marie Oakes (@TheMarieOakes) February 14, 2022

During the announcement, Deputy Prime Minister Freeland announced measures targeting crowdfunding platforms and cryptocurencies to curtail Freedom Convoy funding, Rebel News reported.  

Under the Emergencies Act, Freeland said that the government is ordering financial institutions to cease providing financial services to anyone supporting the blockades, “where the institution suspects an account is being used to further the illegal blockades and occupations.”