Appeal Court Rules Use of Emergencies Act Against Freedom Convoy Unreasonable
OTTAWA – The Federal Court of Appeal ruled on Friday that the federal government acted unreasonably when it used the Emergencies Act to end the 2022 “Freedom Convoy” protests.
The decision upheld a 2024 Federal Court ruling, which concluded there was “no national emergency justifying the invocation of the Emergencies Act” during the weeks-long blockade in downtown Ottawa.
The protests included truck blockades at key border crossings to the United States. In response, then-Prime Minister Justin Trudeau declared a national emergency, citing threats to Canada’s security.
The appeal court agreed with the lower court’s assessment, stating, “The declaration of a public order emergency was unreasonable.” The court also confirmed that using emergency powers infringed on constitutional rights.
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