Share Your Views | Public Order Emergency Commission (POEC)
My input to the inquiry "into the circumstances that led to the declaration of emergency ... from February 14-23, 2022, and the measures taken for dealing with the emergency."
I used the open-ended questionnaire at https://publicorderemergencycommission.ca/share-your-views/ for the following statements. Please share your views with the POEC by tonight, 31 Oct 2022!
2) Were you involved in the protest activities in Canada in January and February 2022
I was indirectly involved by following the protests closely from home, by writing about them, and publishing other authors' contributions, see https://torontomoon.substack.com/archive from Jan 30 to 23 Feb.
I concur with many in-person participants who I spoke with, and many international observers, that the Freedom Convoy gave hope to people who were concerned about the excessive pandemic response including lockdowns and vaccination mandates. I published photos from participants (Jan 30, Feb 6, Feb 13, Feb 19) and open letters about the right to dissent (Feb 6) and against the ratification of the emergency (Feb 17). I analyzed the leaked convoy donor list (Feb 16) and found emotional messages of support along with donations arriving from around the globe. I have moderate views on the pandemic and try to bridge the growing rift in our society. Of particular note, on Feb 12, published Feb 13, the day before the PM invoked the Emergencies Act, I wrote "To Ottawa with Love: Time to end the protest and start working on the Great Cleanup?" I argue that the protest had started to achieve its goals and should peacefully disband. My understanding is that this was actually being discussed on the ground between the truckers and the authorities.
In light of that development and my observations and analysis, invoking the public order emergency was an outrageous transgression for a democratically elected government. It was clear to an unbiased observer that the protest could be ended the Canadian way -- through patient negotiation using existing police and administrative powers.
3) Were you personally affected by the protest activities in Canada?
Emotionally, in a positive way, until the protest was violently ended against all common sense.
4) Were you personally affected by the use of the Emergencies Act?
It was shocking to see that the government would go to this extreme given the demonstrably benign, celebratory nature of the protest in Ottawa and the competent handling by police services of the border protests in Ontario and Alberta.
On Feb 23, I wrote about the Senate debate and concluded with the following: "In summary, after stoking divisions throughout the fall and playing hardball with the Freedom Convoy 2022 protesters, our Prime Minister turned to the nuclear option of the Emergencies Act on a whim, only to get cold feet after a nine-day fermentation period. He proclaimed just this Monday that the emergency was still very much ongoing in order to force the House of Commons supporting vote, only to declare the emergency over two days later, with no indication of any real change in intelligence or on the ground. Trudeau made a mockery of the Emergencies Act, parliamentary democracy, and not the least his political ally, the New Democratic Party who will have a hard time distancing themselves from this political mischief. Ultimately, the joke is on peaceful, engaged, and forgiving Canadians."
5) Does this statement apply to you: I was not involved in nor personally affected by the protest activities in Canada, nor was I personally affected by the use of the Emergencies Act.
No
6) You are also welcome to tell the Commission about your views on the Emergencies Act, the appropriateness or effectiveness of the measures taken and any changes that you think the Commission should recommend in terms of the Emergencies Act or further areas for study or review. […]
I have read the Act and understand its stipulations. It seems reasonable and helpful. What went wrong here is that the government stretched the definition of key terms such as the national scope, the "sovereignty, security and territorial integrity of Canada", and what it constitutes a situation that cannot be dealt with by local authorities.
Obviously, the freezing of personal bank accounts is unacceptable in a free society.
I hope the Commission will send a clear and uncompromising signal to all politicians that this invocation of the Emergencies Act constituted an overreach that must never happen again.