Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound MP Alex Ruff says his Conservative party will continue to fight the federal government’s current use of the Emergencies Act.
Ruff says he is one of over 20 Members of Parliament who signed a letter supporting a motion to challenge the government to revoke the Act after parliament voted in favour of its use Monday. The federal government invoked the Act on February 14th, but its use still required a vote by Parliamentarians which was conducted after MPs debated through the long-weekend.
The NPD voted with the minority Liberal government 185 to 151 defeating the Conservatives, Bloc Quebecois and one Green Party MP to allow the use of the Emergencies Act.
The Act was used in an effort to quell anti-mandate unrest that had resulted in a blockade of Ottawa’s downtown for three weeks. Police from Ontario, Quebec and the RCMP made a big push mainly Saturday to clear protesters and vehicles from their encampment on Wellington Street, and in the downtown core. Ottawa Police say as of 8 Monday morning they made 196 and towed 115 vehicles. Police then created a ‘secured area’ in Ottawa barring people from traveling into it without proof of exclusion.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said at a news conference Monday, the Act has enabled the government to prevent foreign money from continuing to fund blockades. He later added it allowed them to compel tow truck drivers and companies to remove blockades, keep protesters away from critical infrastructure and areas approaching them, and it also enables the government to turn away those indicating a desire to blockade. Trudeau gave the example of a convoy from Fort McMurray destined for Ottawa that was turned away at the Manitoba border with the use of the Act.
Trudeau said, “We hope to only keep it in place for a number more days,” adding, “Right now when the situation is still of people pre-positioning, people being out there indicating that they are ready to blockade, to continue their illegal occupations, to disrupt Canadians’ lives, we feel that this measure needs to remain in place while this emergency situation is still in place.”
Ruff spoke in the House debate on the Act Monday, noting the blockades and protests have been dispersed by police. He argues the government’s reasoning that something else could happen isn’t enough to justify continuing to use the nation’s most powerful law.
“If you want to do that, we’ll never lift it. There’s always going to be the risk of a protest on any segment of the political spectrum,” says Ruff.
He says with regard to Trudeau’s justifications Monday, there are existing laws that can address those issues, “You don’t need the Emergencies Act to do that. Any of that. Critical infrastructure is already protected,” says Ruff.
He adds, “If we’re going to invoke a state of national emergency on a ‘what if’— that is not why this law was brought into place. That is just going down a very slippery slope in my viewpoint, if we’re going to allow the federal government to impose their will on everybody because of a potential threat. It’s got to be imminent.”
Ruff says concerns that there may be people nearby waiting to occupy a particular space don’t require the use of the Act to address. “That doesn’t constitute a national emergency. That is not what the Act is.”
The Emergencies Act also gives the federal government power to enable banks to freeze personal or business accounts without a court order it they’re suspected of financing a protest. Online payment providers and crowd funding sites also have to register with Canada’s Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre (FINTRAC).
In his speech in the House of Commons Monday, Ruff said he’s had constituents reach out to him who are concerned about their accounts being frozen for donating small amounts of money to the trucker convoy and says some residents of Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound have told him they’re taking all their money out of the bank.
Ruff is assuring those who are worried, “The grandma in the riding that made the donation to the local truckers that did drive up for the protest for a few days, they’re not the ones whose accounts are being frozen.”
Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland said Monday, “Police officers have shared with financial institutions the names of the leaders of the blockades and leaders of the occupation and the names of the truckers. That is the focus, that is the target of what the police forces are working on.” She added the focus would be on those truckers who continued in the occupation after February 15th.
Meanwhile, Ruff also noted Tuesday, constituents have reported receiving scam calls where demands are made for personal banking information followed by threats to freeze that person’s bank account because of convoy donations. Ruff is asking constituents who receive such a call to not give out information to scammers, to hang up and contact their financial institution.
Meanwhile, Ruff says he’s disappointed the vote Monday was considered a confidence vote, which if the government lost, could have triggered another election.
The Emergencies Act is currently being discussed by Senators. If they disagree with the House of Commons’ decision, the Act could be revoked.
The Conservatives plan to submit their motion to revoke the Act Monday, which would trigger an extra ten hours of debate and yet another vote on the use of the Emergencies Act.
The use of the Act also requires that an inquiry be launched within 60 days of the end of the Emergencies Act period.
Its findings have to be reported to the House of Commons within a year.
My speech before the vote on Monday 21 February 2022 on why the Emergencies Act is no longer required (if it ever was) and why it needs to be revoked. #BruceGreyOwenSound https://t.co/R5VUzh5Xmx
— Alex Ruff (@AlexRuff17) February 23, 2022