Canada’s prime minister has invoked the Emergencies Act in an effort to end protests and blockades at the nation’s capital and border crossings.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau held a press conference late Monday afternoon to announce his intention to invoke the act, which will temporarily give police more tools to restore order and protect critical infrastructure, such as borders and airports.
Trudeau said the decision to invoke the Emergencies Act was made following consultation with his cabinet, Canada’s premiers and the opposition.
The prime minister maintained that the act would not be used to bring in the Canadian military to quell protests.
The Emergencies Act was created in 1988 to replace the War Measures Act, however, it is more limited in what it can do. The act requires parliamentary oversight and it must comply with the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. This is the first time the act has been used.
The decision to invoke the act comes more than two weeks after anti-mandate protestors began occupying downtown Ottawa.
Protestors have also set up blockades at the Ambassador Bridge border crossing in Windsor and the Coutts border crossing in Alberta, snarling cross-border travel.
On Sunday, police in Windsor moved in to clear protestors in Windsor, leading to over two dozen arrests. The bridge has since been reopened to traffic.
