Posted on 01/24/2024 3:58:21 PM PST by george76
Two years ago, I wrote a column denouncing Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s use of a counter-terrorism law to shut down the Freedom Convoy trucker protests as an authoritarian attack on free speech. Now, a Canadian court has agreed and ruled that the use of the Emergencies Act was unlawful and “unreasonable.” Despite Trudeau’s attacks on civil liberties, he remains a favorite of the media as an iconic figure on the left.
Various civil liberties groups have opposed the iron-handed measures of Trudeau, including The Canadian Civil Liberties Association and the Canadian Constitution Foundation. The characterization of political critics as terrorists has long been a signature of authoritarian governments. The Canadian Parliament actually extended those powers, dismissing civil liberties concerns. Fortunately, despite the actions of Trudeau and the Parliament, there is an independent court system in Canada.
The use of the Emergencies Act allowed the government to arrest the leaders of the Freedom Convoy, freeze bank accounts of protesters, and seize donations of other citizens. Trudeau simply declared that the protesters were “threats to the security of Canada that are so serious as to be a national emergency.”
In his ruling, Justice Richard Mosley wrote:
I have concluded that the decision to issue the Proclamation does not bear the hallmarks of reasonableness – justification, transparency and intelligibility – and was not justified in relation to the relevant factual and legal constraints that were required to be taken into consideration.
Trudeau merely cited the potential for violence without any compelling support for an imminent risk of violence. The court declared:
The potential for serious violence, or being unable to say that there was no potential for serious violence was, of course, a valid reason for concern. But in my view, it did not satisfy the test required to invoke the Act particularly as there was no evidence of a similar “hardened cell” elsewhere in the country, only speculation.
In many ways, the court stated the obvious, but this was an obvious point that other courts and a majority in Parliament ignored:
I agree with the Applicants that the scope of the Regulations was overbroad in so far as it captured people who simply wanted to join in the protest by standing on Parliament Hill carrying a placard. It is not suggested that they would have been the focus of enforcement efforts by the police. However, under the terms of the Regulations, they could have been subject to enforcement actions as much as someone who had parked their truck on Wellington Street and otherwise behaved in a manner that could reasonably be expected to lead to a breach of the peace. [309] One aspect of free expression is the right to express oneself in certain public spaces. By tradition, such places become places of protected expression…To the extent that peaceful protestors did not participate in the actions of those disrupting the peace, their freedom of expression was infringed.
Bravo.
Yes, I’ve seen the video, and it was great.
‘So, will the victims of Canadian government abuse be reimbursed for lost income, defamed reputation, physical injury, and mental anguish?”
The short answer. ‘NO’
The answer to the other question will anyone in the govt will get as much as strongly worded letter is the same.
The Freeland response to the court was basically, “so what, we’ll do what we want.” Fascism.
.
This Federal Court.
This is not the Supreme Court of Canada.
I think there is almost zero change that the SC does not overturn this.
They all live in Ottawa. Half of them live in the Glebe, which had the truckers right there.
For the first time in their lives, they had some personal consequences, and they were outraged by it.
The problem here is that he did it, years later the court said it was wrong; there is no penalty and no repercussions for the gangster government critter.
Leftists don’t give 2 craps about the rule of law because they are never impacted by their own tyranny.
“Despite Trudeau’s attacks on civil liberties, he remains a favorite of the media as an iconic figure on the left.”
Change “Despite” to “Because of”.
Trudeau would do it again tomorrow. Soulless.
At its heart, neoliberal economics is based upon contempt for the rights of workers and labor. Their mantra is to export jobs while importing labor. Labor organizing to shut down transport of imported goods threatens them, leading to extreme measures to restore neoliberal principles.
You nailed it! These a-holes actually compared truckers to hitler. The liberal equivalent to an intellectual argument.
If you’re a liberal, have no shame, but please do f yourself, which is the only convo you deserve.
Only the brain-dead think they are on the right-side of this one. My G-d how I despise you!
All Zot’s videos have disappeared.
He’s ok but he and Candice Bergen did very little to support the truckers.
Some lip service.
He reminds me of Ted Cruz.
Well, Hugo Boss was in the stylish uniform business sometime back....
2 years and found to be?
Let tyranny reign, then 2 years later let everyone know that they are not a tyranny.
Look at the BIG crowd Tucker in speaking in front of.
Foxnews owners really blew it big time.
“It’s Genocide”: Tucker Slams Canada’s Assisted Suicide Program
https://www.infowars.com/posts/its-genocide-tucker-slams-canadas-assisted-suicide-program-for-targeting-people-whose-ancestors-built-the-country/
REO Speedwagon wouldn't have half that crowd :)
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