Canadian federal government’s use of the Emergencies Act in response to the “Freedom Convoy” blockades in Ottawa and at border crossings has passed in a key vote in the House of Commons on Monday night.
The Act was passed after 185 MPs voted in favour, while 151 voted against the measure. The New Democrats sided with the Liberals in passing the motion, while the Conservatives and the Bloc Quebecois opposed it.
The vote was on a motion put forward by the Liberal government after weeks-long demonstrations by the Freedom Convoy. The vote to approve the measures will keep them in place until mid-March at the latest and the Senate must also vote on the government’s request.
Over the weekend, Canadian police restored normalcy in Ottawa. Police spent two days clearing protesters from the downtown Ottawa, making 191 arrests and towing 79 vehicles by the time the operation ended on Sunday.
The convoy, mostly comprising of truckers, rolled into the capital on Jan. 28, to protest against COVID-19 vaccine mandates and other public health measures. The demonstration had since evolved into a largely anti-government movement.
Debate on a separate motion confirming the invocation of the Emergencies Act was tabled in the Senate on Monday, with debate expected to start on Tuesday. No date has yet been decided for that vote.
At any point, the Senate, House or government could pull support and the extraordinary powers stemming from the emergencies law would be torn up.
-Globalnews/Reuters