Declaration of Emergency Committee on April 26th, 2022

[Glen Motz, Conservative, Medicine Hat—Cardston—Warner, AB]

Thank you very much.

Minister, the Prime Minister said that the Emergencies Act was geographically targeted, yet the wording in there is for all of Canada. I think the wording is “throughout Canada” in the regulation. I think everybody would agree that's how it was applied. It was throughout Canada as the Emergencies Act.

It makes me wonder. In that circumstance, the public order was made on February 14. The declaration was made, and then on February 16, we had the Coastal GasLink violent attack. An Order Paper question that came through yesterday indicted that the incident met the threshold as defined in the emergency measures regulations. I'm curious to know why the government did not respond to that violent attack using the Emergencies Act as opposed to the—

[The Joint Chair, Bloc, Rhéal Fortin]

Your time is up, Mr. Motz.

The minister could answer with a yes or a no.

[Marco Mendicino, Liberal, Eglinton—Lawrence, ON]

It's a different event, and I'm not—

[The Joint Chair, Bloc, Rhéal Fortin]

Thank you, Minister.

Mr. Virani, you have one minute.

[Arif Virani, Liberal, Parkdale—High Park, ON]

Thank you, Minister.

Just answer yes or no, please. It's true that the Alberta government put in a written request for assistance at Coutts. Is it not?

[Marco Mendicino, Liberal, Eglinton—Lawrence, ON]

Yes, they did.

[Arif Virani, Liberal, Parkdale—High Park, ON]

It's also true that there were tow truck companies in Ottawa who were threatened with death if they assisted in removing some of the convoy truckers. Is that correct?

[Marco Mendicino, Liberal, Eglinton—Lawrence, ON]

We were advised of that.

[Arif Virani, Liberal, Parkdale—High Park, ON]

The Ontario emergency declaration did not address towing or the commandeering of essential services. Is that correct?

[Marco Mendicino, Liberal, Eglinton—Lawrence, ON]

It remained a challenge prior to the invocation of the federal Emergencies Act.

[Arif Virani, Liberal, Parkdale—High Park, ON]

In the Ontario emergency act, when it talked about removing the vehicle licences for vehicles, obviously that applied only to Ontario-plated vehicles and not to Alberta-plated vehicles. Is that correct?

[Marco Mendicino, Liberal, Eglinton—Lawrence, ON]

That was another issue that came up.

[Arif Virani, Liberal, Parkdale—High Park, ON]

Doug Ford, when specifically consulted on the invocation of the act, said he supported it. That's what's tabled in the House of Commons. Is that correct?

[Marco Mendicino, Liberal, Eglinton—Lawrence, ON]

He did.

[Arif Virani, Liberal, Parkdale—High Park, ON]

Further to Ms. Bendayan's questions, on February 16 there was a further attempt to erect an illegal blockade in Windsor, and the tools under the Emergencies Act assisted in ensuring that the blockade was not resurrected at that time.

[The Joint Chair, Bloc, Rhéal Fortin]

Your time is up, Mr. Virani.

Please answer with a yes or a no, Minister.

[Marco Mendicino, Liberal, Eglinton—Lawrence, ON]

Yes, and I would just add that the mayor of Windsor was also threatened during that period.

[The Joint Chair, Bloc, Rhéal Fortin]

Thank you, Minister.

It's my turn to speak…

Pardon me, Mr. Green, you have the floor for one minute.

[The Joint Chair, NDP, Matthew Green]

The floor is yours.

[The Joint Chair, Bloc, Rhéal Fortin]

That's quite a back-and-forth.

I'm going to ask you some questions, Minister.

Earlier you said you'd received a written opinion before invoking the Emergencies Act. I'd like to ask you to produce it. Is that a problem, Minister?

You may answer with a yes or a no.

[Marco Mendicino, Liberal, Eglinton—Lawrence, ON]

Mr. Chair…

[The Joint Chair, Bloc, Rhéal Fortin]

I'd like you to produce it within five days, by next Tuesday.

[Marco Mendicino, Liberal, Eglinton—Lawrence, ON]

I know a motion was introduced.

[The Joint Chair, Bloc, Rhéal Fortin]

Forget the motion. I only have 30 seconds left and I'd like to know whether you can or can't forward to me a copy of that opinion, or those opinions, that you received before invoking the Emergencies Act.

[Marco Mendicino, Liberal, Eglinton—Lawrence, ON]

Mr. Chair, if you write us, we will respond to your request.