Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Monday (Apr 25) the establishment of the Public Order Emergency Commission, an independent public inquiry tasked with investigating his historic use of emergency powers to quell the Freedom Convoy protest months ago.
The commission will examine the circumstances that led to the declaration being issued and the measures taken in response to the emergency, including what Trudeau categorized as “the evolution of the convoy, the impact of funding and disinformation, the economic impact, and efforts of police and other responders prior to and after the declaration.”
Trudeau evoked the Emergencies Act for the first time in Canada’s history during February’s Freedom Convoy protest in the capital city of Ottawa. In doing so, he granted the federal government temporary powers to quell truckers and others protesting COVID-19 vaccine mandates and other pandemic-related restrictions and freeze the bank accounts of those suspected of supporting the convoy.
Trudeau appointed Judge Paul S. Rouleau as commissioner of the Public Order Emergency Commission. Rouleau is expected to submit a final report to the Canadian government of his findings and recommendations, which must be tabled in the House of Commons and Senate by Feb. 20, 2023.