Shivani Gadhavi
Published On: February 15, 2022 at 16:45 IST
The Prime Minister of Canada on February 14, 2022 declared a National Emergency in Canada due to the worsening condition in the Nation pertaining to the Truckers Protests against the Covid-19 vaccination mandate.
The Truckers Protest took a dangerous turn according to the Canadian Authorities. The protesters, having been called by the name of “Freedom Convoy” that started the protests against the Corona Virus vaccination mandates but now the Convoy is protesting against Pandemic restrictions and Carbon Tax.
The Freedom Convoy has blocked the main route via Canada transporting goods to the United States and vice-versa. On February 14, 2022 the Royal Canadian Mounted Police seized weapons from the Protestors near one of the main blocked routes.
The Powers pertaining to Emergencies have never been used in the history of Canada by any Government. The Prime Minister while announcing the Emergency stated that, “We cannot and will not allow illegal and dangerous activities to continue.”
The Canadian Prime Minister also stated that “This is not a peaceful protest,” and furthermore added that the emergency law is about keeping Canadians safe, protecting people’s jobs and restoring confidence in our institutions.
This move of the Canadian Government received backlash from Right-Wing Leaders. The Canadian Center for Civil Liberties stated that “The federal government has not met the threshold necessary to invoke the Emergencies Act. This law creates a high and clear standard for good reason: the act allows the government to bypass ordinary democratic processes. This standard has not been met.”