MPs brace for fierce debate as Liberals table Emergencies Act declaration in Commons
CBC
The Liberal government has formally tabled its declaration of an emergency under the Emergencies Act in the House of Commons — a move that sets up what's likely to be a heated debate among MPs over the coming days.
The government was required to table its declaration in the House of Commons and the Senate within seven sitting days of its introduction.
Once that declaration is tabled, MPs can debate the measures in the act and, potentially, vote on amendments that could limit its powers and scope.
Until any amendments are made, the act will be in effect exactly as proposed by the Liberal government.
The government pledged to begin the debate process quickly earlier on Wednesday.
Speaking at a Wednesday news conference, Justice Minister and Attorney General David Lametti said "Canadians expect and deserve nothing less" than a full debate by their elected officials.
The debate, now likely to begin Thursday, is going to be a tense one. Both the Conservatives and Bloc Québécois have voiced strong opposition to the use of the Emergencies Act.
"We cannot support the Emergencies Act. We don't believe that it's the right thing to do," Conservative interim leader Candice Bergen said Wednesday.
"This is not the right tool," said Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet. "The federal government wanted to hide its failure behind a far too strong law."
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh has voiced concerns about the act but has not rejected its use as strongly as other opposition party leaders. Singh said on Wednesday that he would withdraw his support for its use if the NDP decides that it constitutes an overreach of government authority.
WATCH | Jagmeet Singh says he won't support Emergencies Act if it is an overreach
The act — which has never before been invoked — gives the federal government temporary powers to handle ongoing blockades and protests against pandemic restrictions. Participating in anything considered an unlawful assembly is now a violation of the act, and the government also has powers to restrict protesters' access to financial services.
Text in the Emergencies Act also stipulates that a debate on the act must take place "without interruption." That suggests the current session of the Commons could stretch into the weekend or next week.
The House of Commons is currently scheduled to have a week-long break starting Monday, Feb. 21. It's not yet clear if that break will still take place if the House is in the midst of a complex debate at the time.
Lawyers for a man acquitted in a high-profile Toronto murder trial where a police officer was killed are holding a news conference Thursday to address a recent Ontario Provincial Police report that re-examines evidence from the trial.
Quebec provincial police arrested two men after a suspicious package grounded flights headed to Montreal's Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport on Wednesday.
A nurse in Winnipeg says Canada's immigration system is undercutting efforts to address a shortage of health-care workers, after his application for permanent residency was rejected based on a technicality.
This year's provincial budget is "essentially" the status quo for wildfire preparation and response, the finance minister says.
Parts of B.C.'s coast continues to see heavy rain as Environment and Climate Change Canada warns of a prolonged atmospheric river this week.
Alberta teachers say they face increasingly dangerous conditions at school, with the most common threat coming from their own students.
Cataract surgeries at Charlottetown’s outpatient clinic are expected to resume in April, after procedures scheduled for March were cancelled due to the clinic reaching its annual funding target earlier than expected.
Shannon Elgazzar can see planes taking off from Cairo International Airport from her balcony.
Yellowknife city council has voted in favour of signing an agreement with the federal government that's aimed at bringing piped water and sewer service to the city's airport.
While Canada's economy is far more reliant on exports to the U.S. than vice versa, Canadian negotiators have crucial ammunition in their efforts to land a trade deal that reduces or eliminates tariffs imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump.
Nova Scotia PC MLA Rick Burns says he and his wife are victims of blackmail after hackers accessed and shared videos and intimate images on his personal devices this week.
The Saint John Board of Police Commissioners and Chief Robert Bruce have lost a bid to permanently deny public access to all court documents related to conduct complaints nine officers filed against the chief.
With the looming October election, Quebec Finance Minister Eric Girard has delivered a modest budget as the province aims to withstand ongoing trade disruptions and mounting geopolitical pressure.