‘Order restored’: Trudeau withdraws emergency law

The emergency law will be lifted on Wednesday, ten days after it was launched by the government of Justin Trudeau, who described the country as “restored to order”.

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

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.

Withdrawal means that by Wednesday evening, when the Governor-General approves a government decision, frozen bank accounts will be re-accessed once the cancellation takes effect.

Again on Monday, Mr. Trudeau noted that “urgency” and “intimidation” still justify the application of the law.

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

An investigation will be launched in the next two months to shed light on the events that led to the enactment of the law and whether they are absolutely necessary.

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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 and more than a week after the blockade by truckers at several border crossings, many questioned its application at this stage.

Senators may decide to continue the debate on this subject if they wish.

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

Acting Ottawa Police Chief Steve Bell said last weekend that the powers given to police forces by this law had greatly helped in the massive operation that ended the center-town occupation.

Mr. One of the reasons Trudeau took this extraordinary step was to “strengthen and reassure Canadians’ confidence in our institutions, in our police service, in our ability to ensure the security and stability of our neighborhoods.”

For Conservative leader Candice Bergen, “Today’s statement is proof that the Prime Minister did not make a mistake when enforcing the emergency law.”

“Nothing has changed between Monday night and today except increased concern from Canadian citizens, negative media coverage and mocking of Canada on the world stage,” she said in a statement.

NDP leader Jagmeet Singh said his party “did not take the emergency law lightly” and his call marked a “dark moment in Canadian history”. He said he was “happy” that the law had been repealed.

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