Madam Speaker, as members of the New Democratic Party, we stand by the recommendations in the main report, but we believe that further reflection is essential. This will help us address the broader implications of this moment and ensure that we chart a future that protects the rights of Canadians.
New Democrats stress the urgent need to rebuild public confidence in our institutions; achieving this will require a much deeper democratic commitment to parliamentary transparency and accountability, not just in the specific context of the Emergencies Act but also in our ongoing governance efforts. The failures of local police services during the “freedom convoy”, with officers appearing compromised or even sympathetic to the occupiers, exposed the systemic issues that must be addressed. Many Canadians felt abandoned during this crisis, and the resulting loss of public trust underscores the urgent need for structural reform.
It is troubling that the last royal commission on policing in Canada occurred in 1962. As the challenges of public safety have evolved significantly since then, we call on the Minister of Public Safety to establish a new national commission on policing. This body should examine police mandates, budgets and their alignment with public safety goals.
In addition, we urge the government to create a dedicated office to investigate radicalization within public security forces and the misuse of resources for undemocratic purposes. The invocation of the Emergencies Act has revealed a deep and systemic challenge in Canada's governance and policing, as well as the protection of democratic rights. The issues exposed during the crisis, those of transparency, accountability and public trust, must be addressed with urgency and purpose.
As New Democrats, we believe that the recommendations in this report are a vital step forward, but they must be accompanied by broader reforms. Canada must seize on this moment to rebuild its institutions in alignment with democratic values, whether by modernizing the Emergencies Act, investigating extremism within our public institutions or rethinking the role and structure of policing. Only through sustained effort and genuine accountability can we restore public confidence and ensure that our democracy remains resilient against future challenges.
We would also like to thank all the incredible staff, the clerks and everybody who participated, including each of our party staff, for the last close to two years.