Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms JCCF Opening Statement Public Inquiry for Emergencies Act

Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms JCCF Opening Statements at the Public Inquiry for the Invocation of the Emergencies Act.

“The use of the emergency powers to suppress political protest is a marked departure from the liberty that Canada is known for, and a serious infringement of Canadians’ fundamental Charter freedoms. The complete prohibition of peaceful protests in front of Parliament Hill, the seat of our democratic government, was unprecedented and unjustified,” states Justice Centre lawyer, Jorge Pineda. “The Inquiry is an opportunity to bring some measure of accountability to the government’s drastic decisions. We intend to demonstrate that the protest was peaceful, and not at all how the government and media has cynically portrayed it, and that law enforcement already had the legal tools needed to address any issues.”

Source: Day 1 of Public Hearings, October 13, 2022 Public Inquiry for the Invocation of the Emergencies Act