Canadian premiers oppose Trudeau's plans to invoke emergency powers over truckers' protest

Four Canadian premiers have come out against the country’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s plan of invoking the Emergencies Act to clamp down on the demonstrations against the COVID-19 vaccine mandate. Canadian government’s latest measure would provide additional powers to the authorities to take actions against the protesters such as freezing their bank accounts and suspending the licences of the vehicles. 

Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe said in a statement shared on Twitter, “The illegal blockades must end, but police already have sufficient tools to enforce the law and clear the blockades, as they did over the weekend in Windsor. Therefore, Saskatchewan does not support the Trudeau government invoking the Emergencies Act.”

Alberta’s Jason Kenney, Manitoba’s Heather Stefanson and Quebec’s Francois Legault also posted similar statements as Moe is opposing Trudeau’s plans on the Emergencies Act. If the act is invoked, Moe and Kenney have demanded that the measure should apply only in jurisdictions that request it. 

Trudeau vows to freeze bank accounts of truckers protesting mandate

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has announced an unprecedented step to invoke the Emergencies Act to clamp down the truckers' protest against the COVID-19 vaccine mandate. Trudeau has said that the response to anti-mandate protests in Canada would be “time-limited”, “reasonable and proportionate” and would not see the deployment of the military.

According to the BBC, banks would be able to freeze personal accounts of anyone linked with the protests even in the absence of a court order. The latest move by the Canadian government came as hundreds of demonstrators are still present in Ottawa. Earlier on Sunday, the law enforcement managed to clear the crucial US-Canada trade pathway, the Ambassador Bridge in Windsor after the demonstrators barred the road for a week.

In a news conference on Monday, Trudeau said, “This is about keeping Canadians safe, protecting people's jobs”. The Canadian PM also said that the police would be provided “more tools” to either imprison or fine the protesters to protect the critical infrastructure. He also elaborated that the legislation would be applied only temporarily and that too, in a highly specific manner. 

(Image: AP)