Debates of Feb. 21st, 2022

COVID-19 Protests

[Jagmeet Singh, NDP, Burnaby South, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the occupation of Ottawa and the blockades at the border hit workers hard. It is getting more and more difficult for them to make ends meet. The Liberal government announced a plan to help the small businesses and the businesses affected by the blockades and the occupation, but not a plan for the workers.

Where is the plan to help the workers affected by the occupation of Ottawa and the blockades across the country?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the leader of the NDP for his commitment to our workers.

We share that concern. That is why for the past two years we have taken historic measures to support the workers, small businesses, seniors and families that are struggling because of this pandemic, and that is why we are committed to being there for the people who need it in the wake of the occupation of Ottawa.

Yes, we brought in a program for the businesses, but we will continue to look out for the workers as well.

Public Safety

[Raquel Dancho, Conservative, Kildonan—St. Paul, MB]

Mr. Speaker, the Liberal member for Beaches—East York said today in the House, “I am not convinced that the emergency measures should [extend] beyond today. I would vote accordingly, but...it is now a confidence vote”.

It would seem that the Prime Minister is strong-arming his back bench and the NDP to vote in his favour by threatening an election. Is that not true?

[Mark Holland, Liberal, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, I think that we all breathed a sigh of relief at the phenomenal work that was done by law enforcement to bring order and peace outside these doors.

I look forward to the vote that is going to be taking place in just a few hours to have this House affirm the powers that were needed to ensure that peace and stability, and to make sure on a preventative basis that we do not see a return to that level of disorder.

[Raquel Dancho, Conservative, Kildonan—St. Paul, MB]

Mr. Speaker, the blockades have ended. Downtown Ottawa has been cleared. If there was ever a national emergency, which remains in doubt, it is over. There is no need for the Emergencies Act vote tonight. It would seem then that this vote tonight is about far more than the blockades and the protesters in downtown Ottawa. It would seem it is only about power, about the government having the power and setting the precedent for the bank accounts of political dissidents to be frozen.

Is that not right?

[Marco Mendicino, Liberal, Minister of Public Safety]

Mr. Speaker, I want to just highlight how instrumental the Emergencies Act has been in allowing us to address, very effectively but in a manner that is consistent with the charter, the illegal blockades. I too want to take a moment to express my profound gratitude. I hope all members in the chamber will give thanks to the RCMP and all members of law enforcement who, in a very professional, measured and restrained manner, have restored order to the streets of Ottawa and have ensured we made progress at our borders.

We will only use the powers of the Emergencies Act as long as necessary.

[Gérard Deltell, Conservative, Louis-Saint-Laurent, QC]

Mr. Speaker, it became clear this weekend that Canada did not need emergency measures to resolve the situation in Ottawa. Thousands of police officers from across Canada joined forces to resolve a specific situation. This is not the first time that has happened.

Nevertheless, this government still wants to impose the Emergencies Act, which has no place in this context, in our view. The border crossings were cleared without this legislation. The Ambassador Bridge was cleared without this legislation.

Why does the government stubbornly insist on implementing a law that Canadians do not want?

[Marco Mendicino, Liberal, Minister of Public Safety]

Mr. Speaker, we have seen significant progress in Ottawa over the past few days. Our borders and downtown Ottawa are free of blockades, and our borders are now open.

I want to thank the RCMP and all law enforcement agencies for their professional and measured response. The Emergencies Act was instrumental in making this possible, but we want to be done with it as soon as possible.

[Gérard Deltell, Conservative, Louis-Saint-Laurent, QC]

Mr. Speaker, back home in Quebec City we had protests over two weekends. We did not need the Emergencies Act. Instead, we saw the government and the police show leadership, the kind of leadership that has been sorely lacking in Ottawa in recent weeks.

Seven Canadian premiers, including the Premier of Quebec, want nothing to do with this act, but the government still wants to impose this extreme piece of legislation, which has never been used before this weekend.

Why is the government so insistent on doing this, given that the provincial premiers do not want it and neither do Canadians?

[Marco Mendicino, Liberal, Minister of Public Safety]

Mr. Speaker, I assure my colleague and all members in this House that any measures taken under the Emergencies Act have been taken in concert with all provincial and municipal authorities.

We will continue to work closely with the provinces and territories. Law enforcement is telling us that the act is a necessary tool, but we will withdraw these measures as soon as possible.

Justice

[Michael Chong, Conservative, Wellington—Halton Hills, ON]

Mr. Speaker, has the government received a legal opinion from either the Attorney General or the Department of Justice as to whether the emergency powers granted under the Emergencies Act, particularly the power to freeze financial accounts, are consistent with the Charter of Rights and Freedoms? If so, will the government release the legal opinion to the House before this evening's vote?

[David Lametti, Liberal, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada]

Mr. Speaker, I am confident as Attorney General that we have met the standard to apply the Emergencies Act. As we have stated on many occasions, we are required as a government that any measures we take will conform with the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, including section 8 rights of search and seizure.

[Scott Reid, Conservative, Lanark—Frontenac—Kingston, ON]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the justice minister or the finance minister.

First, how many bank accounts have been frozen under the authority of the emergency proclamation? Second, will the government commit that no further funds will be frozen without a court order verifying that a rational connection exists between the funds and the unlawful blockades? Third, will any currently frozen accounts for which a rational connection has not been demonstrated be released forthwith?

[Marco Mendicino, Liberal, Minister of Public Safety]

Mr. Speaker, I will say at the beginning that the RCMP has clarified that at no time did it provide any list of donors to banks for enforcement under the Emergencies Act.

With regard to those financial controls that are being exercised under the act, as we have said many times, those powers are being exercised in a manner that is consistent with the charter, including due process rights, as well as the right to be protected against any unreasonable search and seizure.

Public Safety

[Kristina Michaud, Bloc, Avignon—La Mitis—Matane—Matapédia, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the occupation of Ottawa is over. There is not a single truck left in the streets, and the protesters have been dispersed. The police are in control of the situation and life is getting back to normal.

However, the House will vote tonight on invoking the Emergencies Act to address what the government is wrongly calling a “national crisis”.

Not only was there never a national crisis, there was no crisis at all. Will the Prime Minister immediately revoke his declaration about a state of emergency?

[Marco Mendicino, Liberal, Minister of Public Safety]

Mr. Speaker, although we have seen the progress made against the illegal blockades, threats remain.

The Emergencies Act will continue to play a critical role in ending the illegal blockades. We will follow the advice of the police and of other experts, who are telling us that the act is still necessary.

[Kristina Michaud, Bloc, Avignon—La Mitis—Matane—Matapédia, QC]

Mr. Speaker, that is completely absurd. The Prime Minister wants us to vote in favour of special legislation when there are no trucks and no protesters in the streets of Ottawa to get rid of.

The Prime Minister has turned this into a no-confidence vote, so if we oppose it, it will trigger a second useless election in six months.

Even worse, what the Prime Minister is demanding means that, for the first time in history, the House of Commons will vote in favour of the use of the Emergencies Act to solve a problem that no longer exists.

Does the Prime Minister realize how low he is setting the bar and that he is creating a shameful precedent?

[Marco Mendicino, Liberal, Minister of Public Safety]

Mr. Speaker, with all due respect to my colleague, there are still risks, despite all the progress that has been made.

There are risks outside the House of Commons, in the streets of Ottawa, and at our borders. Efforts are being made to bring back the illegal blockades.

That is why, according to law enforcement, we still need the Emergencies Act. We will use this measure in a very responsible way, in compliance with the charter.

[Kristina Michaud, Bloc, Avignon—La Mitis—Matane—Matapédia, QC]

Mr. Speaker, let us continue with this theatre of the absurd. Dozens of truckers who have left Ottawa have threatened to return as soon as possible.

How long does the Prime Minister plan to maintain the emergency measures? Will he keep them in place forever, even if there is no longer a crisis, just in case the truckers come back?

Seriously, what will it take for the government to realize that it was not the Emergencies Act that solved the crisis, but rather a coordinated police response, which is what we have been calling for since day one?

[Marco Mendicino, Liberal, Minister of Public Safety]

Mr. Speaker, it is important to understand how the act works. All the measures in the Emergencies Act, which were brought in by the declaration, are temporary, targeted and used in a way that is consistent with the charter.

We will withdraw the legislation as soon as possible. However, at the same time, we must follow the advice of the police.

Justice

[Lianne Rood, Conservative, Lambton—Kent—Middlesex, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the finance minister said at a press conference this morning, “For anyone who is concerned that their accounts may have been frozen because of their participation in these illegal blockades and occupation, the way to get your account unfrozen is to stop being part of the blockade and occupation.” The blockades have ended, but concerns over frozen accounts have not.

What mechanisms are in place today to help those who were accidentally caught in the government's dragnet?

[Bill Blair, Liberal, President of the Queen’s Privy Council for Canada and Minister of Emergency Preparedness]

Mr. Speaker, to be very clear, the RCMP issued a statement today clearly and unequivocally stating that they have not released the names of donors to the banks and are doing their job of targeting those individuals who are primarily responsible for this, including the people who parked their trucks illegally on the streets. Any Canadians who happens to have their accounts frozen by their bank should call their bank and find out why.

[Joël Godin, Conservative, Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Emergencies Act authorizes the freezing of bank accounts. Many Canadians know very little about the rules, the duration or the guidelines.

The legislation must not be trivialized. It is very troubling and, worse still, the Minister of Finance wants to introduce legislation to give more powers, without a warrant.

Will the minister commit to including a mechanism to appeal abusive decisions in order to protect honest Canadians?

[Bill Blair, Liberal, President of the Queen’s Privy Council for Canada and Minister of Emergency Preparedness]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to remind the member that, first of all, there is nothing retroactive in the measures we have brought forward. They take effect on February 15. Anyone who, for example, made a donation to a cause prior to that date would not in any way be impacted by these measures. Additionally, there is, built right into the Emergencies Act, parliamentary scrutiny. It is subject to scrutiny by the House and by the other place. The concerns the member brings forward can be addressed quite appropriately within the existing act.

[Shannon Stubbs, Conservative, Lakeland, AB]

Mr. Speaker, a financial crime expert says the Emergencies Act is a “serious [deviation] from the normal democratic processes”. A U of T finance professor says, “Banks may be inclined to overreact...to avoid running afoul of the government”. Security and finance experts say there are no suspicious activities or credible threats with protest-related donations. There is no evidence, court order or due process and no limits on what direct or indirect participation means.

It is already happening to my constituents, so when will frozen bank accounts be up and running again?