Photo credit: The Canadian Press

By Curtis Galbraith

Federal Politics

Grande Prairie-Mackenzie MP calls invoking the Emergencies Act overreach

Feb 16, 2022 | 6:00 AM

Grande Prairie-Mackenzie MP Chris Warkentin says the invoking of the Emergencies Act means Prime Minister Justin has given himself “unprecedented powers.”

“Against not only the will of the opposition parties, the Bloc Quebecois and ourselves as Conservatives opposing, but he has given this even after the objection of any premiers across the country,” explained Warkentin.

“This really is unprecedented. We believe that the act is very clear that certain criteria have to be met before any government should be able to give themselves these powers.”

Warkentin says traffic is moving again at border areas where there had been blockades.

He adds some Liberal backbenchers also oppose the move

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“We have now had a couple of prominent Liberal backbench members, in some cases, not even backbench members, some of them hold heightened positions in the Liberal party that have come out opposing Justin Trudeau’s measures.”

“There is a chance that that group will grow in numbers, and they could make the difference.”

He adds this is not yet at the point where this could lead to a non-confidence vote for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the government

“I think that what we’ve seen over the last number of days is an overreach the government could lead to interesting days ahead.”

“I think that Justin Trudeau’s case that he was making for why he needed these new powers has been mitigated by the re-opening of the borders. There are no lives at risk. The economy is not being held hostage.”

Warkentin says the Ottawa protest does not meet the threshold to have the Prime Minister give himself more powers.

He adds Trudeau could have done what he has done at other protests and gone out and talked to protesters and listened to their concerns, rather than antagonizing them.

Warkentin says protesters are asking for what a lot of other Canadians are asking for and that is a plan to remove restrictions and vaccine mandates. Warkentin says many other countries have already dropped restrictions.