44th Parl. 1st Sess.
February 21, 2022 07:00AM
- Feb/21/22 2:39:05 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, let us continue with this theatre of the absurd. Dozens of truckers who have left Ottawa have threatened to return as soon as possible.
How long does the Prime Minister plan to maintain the emergency measures? Will he keep them in place forever, even if there is no longer a crisis, just in case the truckers come back?
Seriously, what will it take for the government to realize that it was not the Emergencies Act that solved the crisis, but rather a coordinated police response, which is what we have been calling for since day one?
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- Feb/21/22 2:39:38 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, it is important to understand how the act works. All the measures in the Emergencies Act, which were brought in by the declaration, are temporary, targeted and used in a way that is consistent with the charter.
We will withdraw the legislation as soon as possible. However, at the same time, we must follow the advice of the police.
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- Feb/21/22 2:40:10 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the finance minister said at a press conference this morning, “For anyone who is concerned that their accounts may have been frozen because of their participation in these illegal blockades and occupation, the way to get your account unfrozen is to stop being part of the blockade and occupation.” The blockades have ended, but concerns over frozen accounts have not.
What mechanisms are in place today to help those who were accidentally caught in the government's dragnet?
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- Feb/21/22 2:40:42 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, to be very clear, the RCMP issued a statement today clearly and unequivocally stating that they have not released the names of donors to the banks and are doing their job of targeting those individuals who are primarily responsible for this, including the people who parked their trucks illegally on the streets. Any Canadians who happens to have their accounts frozen by their bank should call their bank and find out why.
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- Feb/21/22 2:41:13 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the Emergencies Act authorizes the freezing of bank accounts. Many Canadians know very little about the rules, the duration or the guidelines.
The legislation must not be trivialized. It is very troubling and, worse still, the Minister of Finance wants to introduce legislation to give more powers, without a warrant.
Will the minister commit to including a mechanism to appeal abusive decisions in order to protect honest Canadians?
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- Feb/21/22 2:41:47 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I would like to remind the member that, first of all, there is nothing retroactive in the measures we have brought forward. They take effect on February 15. Anyone who, for example, made a donation to a cause prior to that date would not in any way be impacted by these measures. Additionally, there is, built right into the Emergencies Act, parliamentary scrutiny. It is subject to scrutiny by the House and by the other place. The concerns the member brings forward can be addressed quite appropriately within the existing act.
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- Feb/21/22 2:42:25 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, a financial crime expert says the Emergencies Act is a “serious [deviation] from the normal democratic processes”. A U of T finance professor says, “Banks may be inclined to overreact...to avoid running afoul of the government”. Security and finance experts say there are no suspicious activities or credible threats with protest-related donations. There is no evidence, court order or due process and no limits on what direct or indirect participation means.
It is already happening to my constituents, so when will frozen bank accounts be up and running again?
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- Feb/21/22 2:42:58 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the integrated command team, which is composed of the Ottawa Police Service, the OPP and the RCMP, has been clear and unequivocal. The authorities that have been provided to them under the Emergencies Act have been essential to the progress they have made in getting the situation under control. We have also heard from the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police, which is all the chiefs, the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police and even the Canadian Police Association, representing the rank and file. All have been clear and unequivocal that these measures were essential and have been helping them restore order in this country.
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- Feb/21/22 2:43:40 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, while some MPs are claiming that the threats are now over, Canadians are still living with the impacts of the ongoing convoy crisis. In B.C., the Pacific Highway crossing had to be pre-emptively closed this weekend, blocking commuters, essential workers and goods. The RCMP arrested 16 people, while other unlawful activity could not be addressed on the spot due to lack of resources.
After weeks of failed leadership from the government, will the minister assure Canadians that it is now acting with the urgency needed?
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- Feb/21/22 2:44:14 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague for highlighting one of the ongoing risks we face, which is the threat to our borders and our trade corridors. They are so critically important to keeping Canadians at work and our economy rolling. That is why we continue to listen very carefully to the advice we are getting from our police services, which say that the Emergencies Act was instrumental in addressing the blockades at ports of entry and continues to be instrumental in preventing them.
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- Feb/21/22 2:44:47 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, what happened in Coutts, Alberta, is unprecedented. The Conservatives are downplaying the severity of what is happening and are pretending that the threat is over.
There was a plot to murder RCMP officers by dangerous extremists. Millions of dollars are still coming in from foreign sources to fund these hate groups—
Some hon. members: Oh, oh!
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- Feb/21/22 2:45:14 p.m.
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Order. I have the volume as far up as I can, and I am not hearing the question. Let us keep it to a relative roar when members are asking a question.
The member for Edmonton Strathcona.
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- Feb/21/22 2:45:27 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, what happened in Coutts, Alberta, is unprecedented. The Conservatives in the House are downplaying the severity of what is happening and are pretending that the threat is over.
There was a plot to murder RCMP officers by dangerous extremists. Millions of dollars are still coming in from foreign sources to fund these hate groups. When will the government bring forward legislation to halt all—
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- Feb/21/22 2:45:56 p.m.
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- Feb/21/22 2:45:59 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I share the concerns of my hon. colleague around the severity of the charges that were laid in Coutts, including conspiracy to commit murder. Of course, hon. colleagues will recognize that it would be inappropriate for us to comment on ongoing matters that are now before the courts. I also share the member's concern around the rhetoric and extremism that we have seen not only in Alberta but right across the country, which has motivated some of the individuals.
We need to be vigilant about that. We need to be sure that we deal with those threats. That is one of the reasons the Emergencies Act is there to help protect the health and safety of Canadians.
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- Feb/21/22 2:46:36 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the last three weeks have been extraordinarily difficult for the people of Ottawa, with major roads blocked, noise at all hours of the night and people threatened and intimidated in their own communities. Despite the severe economic impacts of the last two years, downtown businesses were forced to shut their doors yet again. This past weekend, we saw police execute a coordinated plan that finally removed demonstrators and their vehicles from Ottawa streets. This only came after the federal government invoked the Emergencies Act for the very first time in our nation's history.
Can the Minister of Emergency Preparedness explain to the House why the act was needed to bring the situation to an end?
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- Feb/21/22 2:47:21 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the actions of the illegal blockaders at our critical infrastructure, at central trade corridors and even here on the streets of our nation's capital were causing great and lasting harm to our country, to our economy and to our citizens. This was clearly and unequivocally an emergency that required extraordinary measures to restore the rule of law, to protect public safety and to protect Canadian interests and infrastructure.
I want to lend my voice to my government in a word of thanks to our law enforcement officials, who did the job we needed them to do and have protected our interests.
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- Feb/21/22 2:48:05 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, we are at a point in time in Canadian history that I never thought we would reach. Canadians in the nation's capital are seeing fences put up around the streets and police checkstops at every intersection, and some Canadians are mistakenly having their bank accounts frozen. Tonight, in this chamber, every single member of Parliament will have to rise and say if they agree that this is a Canada they want for their kids and grandchildren.
My question is for the Prime Minister. How did he convince the federal NDP to sell out the core beliefs of Jack Layton and Tommy Douglas?
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- Feb/21/22 2:48:38 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I want to assure the member that all of the powers being used under the Emergencies Act are being used in a manner that is very proportional, measured and respectful of the charter, including protections around due process and the right to be protected from unreasonable search and seizure.
We are always reassessing the need for the Emergencies Act. We are listening very carefully to the advice we are receiving from law enforcement. I want to assure the member and all members of the chamber that we will absolutely retreat from the Emergencies Act as soon as we can.
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- Feb/21/22 2:49:12 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the minister does not get it. Canadians do not trust him and his government.
We have a historic vote this evening. The Liberals have desperately tried to justify the Prime Minister's power grab and overreach. We see the leader of the NDP bending over backwards to prop up the most corrupt government in Canadian history.
Some hon. members: Oh, oh!
Mr. Warren Steinley: To the Prime Minister, on top of the—
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