Ottawa withdraws emergency law

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced on Wednesday that he was withdrawing 10 days after Ottawa implemented the state of emergency.

“Today, after a careful examination of the situation, we see that we are no longer in an emergency,” he told a news conference.

Orders passed under the Emergency Measures Act allow financial institutions, among other things, to freeze bank accounts, as well as to declare certain meetings held in specially designated areas illegal.

Again on Monday, Mr. Trudeau stated that “urgency” still supported the application of the law.

It was backed by the House of Commons on Monday evening, with the newly-elected New Democrats backing it, while the Conservatives and Black Quebecois opposed it.

The announcement comes as senators have been debating the use of the law since Tuesday. Three days after the end of the occupation of the city of Ottawa, this time many questioned its application.

“As promised, we did not want this emergency to continue for another minute,” Mr Trudeau said.

Emergency measures will be withdrawn in the coming hours after the governor-general signs the statement, Trudeau said.

Deputy Prime Minister Christiana Freeland said the process of freezing some bank accounts had already begun.