Senator Gold: Thank you for your question. Again, I will have occasion tomorrow to speak to this issue, to elaborate at greater length and to take further questions. Let me simply say that the decision to invoke the Emergencies Act was taken after consultation with all provinces. Not all provinces agreed. The Premier of Ontario — because you cited him — did indicate that he needed the support and that with the plenary tools that he would have at his disposal, he was not one of those provinces that opposed the application and invocation of the act. I think we here in Ottawa and the residents of Ottawa are very happy indeed with the results so far.

Hon. Claude Carignan: My question is for the Leader of the Government in the Senate.

Leader, on February 10, the Economist Intelligence Unit issued its annual index on global democracy, which showed that Canada dropped seven spots in two years, from fifth to twelfth place, just ahead of Uruguay.

According to Andrew Potter, associate professor at McGill University’s Max Bell School of Public Policy, one explanation for this situation is the way the Trudeau government managed the pandemic. He said, and I quote:

What has happened over the past two years is that the Prime Minister has basically shut down Parliament for a long time and has been keen to limit the opposition as much as he can . . .

What is more, according to the Democracy Index, the measures that were taken to fight the pandemic accelerated Canadians’ loss of confidence in their institutions. The pandemic led to the normalization of emergency powers and accustomed citizens to a huge extension of state power over large areas of public and personal life.

Aren’t you worried about Canadians’ loss of confidence in our institutions? Don’t you think that the unnecessary use of the Emergencies Act will make this already bad social situation and Canadians’ loss of confidence in our institutions even worse?

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Honourable senators, I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the copy of the Canada Gazette, Part II, volume 156, Extra No. 1, dated February 15, 2022, including a proclamation declaring a public order emergency and two sets of regulations pursuant to the Emergencies Act.

[English]

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Honourable senators, I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the documents pursuant to the Emergencies Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. 22 (4th suppl.), s. 58.

[Translation]