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Opinion

Trudeau’s Suspension of Civil Rights for a Non-Existent Emergency an Embarrassing Chapter in Canadian History

Trudeau’s Suspension of Civil Rights for a Non-Existent Emergency an Embarrassing Chapter in Canadian History
A protester sings “O Canada” as they are arrested after trying to push through a line of police officers during police action to end the Freedom Convoy protest in Ottawa on Feb. 18, 2022. The Canadian Press/Justin Tang
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Commentary

The invocation of the Emergencies Act—a modern-day version of the War Measures Act—was the action of a federal government in total disarray and panic. There was no pressing emergency facing the population of Canada. The only person experiencing an emergency was Prime Minister Trudeau as he watched his credibility and support as a national leader swirling down the drain in the face of peaceful but growing Freedom Convoy protests.