The blaring horns and snarled streets of the so-called “Freedom Convoy” blockade in Ottawa are no more, but on Monday Prime Minister Justin Trudeau suggested the work to heal the pandemic divisions in the country that the convoy exposed must now begin.
However, he did not answer clearly about whether a Monday night vote on the unprecedented invocation of the Emergencies Act will be a confidence vote.
“There’s no doubt that the last weeks have been difficult, that the last years have been painful, and that there are still challenges ahead of us. But we can’t let anger divide us,” said Trudeau in a press conference.
“More than ever, now is the time to work together. It’s also the time to reflect on the kind of future we want for our country. There’s a lesson for all of us in what happened this month. We don’t know when this pandemic is going to end, but that doesn’t mean we cannot start healing as a nation.”
Read more:
Ottawa’s convoy occupation mostly clear, but police ‘not done’ with operation yet
The convoy blockade encamped in Ottawa on Jan. 28. While numbers fluctuated over the next three weeks, many protesters refused to move until a large-scale police operation began on Feb. 18.
Comprised of tactical teams from multiple jurisdictions, the operation involved police moving progressively and methodically in gaining back control of the nation’s capital, street by street, arresting nearly 200 convoy participants in the process. Nearly 400 charges have now been laid.
For weeks though, police as well as local and provincial leaders faced heated criticism for a lack of action in preventing the convoy from encamping, as well as the subsequent lack of enforcement amid what has widely been described as the “lawless” conduct of the convoy.
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MPs to vote tonight on Liberals’ decision to invoke Emergencies Act for blockades
Police received hundreds of complaints alleging hate-related incidents. They opened more than 100 criminal investigations into alleged harassment, intimidation and assaults on Ottawa residents by the convoy.
On Feb. 14, amid continued lack of action from municipal and provincial authorities, Trudeau announced he was invoking the Emergencies Act — a never-before-used piece of legislation.
Under the law, the government had to introduce a motion in both the House of Commons and another one in the Senate stating its reasons for doing so. And if that vote — set for Monday night — fails, then the state of emergency in effect under the Act is immediately revoked.
Trudeau was asked twice whether he will declare the vote a matter of confidence, which would up the stakes for the government by putting their authority to govern on the line.
“I have total confidence that the majority of parliamentarians this evening will vote to protect the rule of law,” Trudeau said.
“I can’t imagine that anyone who votes ‘no’ tonight is doing anything other than indicating that they don’t trust the government to make incredibly momentous and important decisions at a very important time.”
He did not, though, give a clear ‘yes’ or ‘no’ as he has done in the past when declaring discretionary confidence votes. A spokesperson for Government House Leader Mark Holland did not clarify.
More to come.