Trudeau’s use of Emergencies Act to clear convoy protests unjustified, appeal court rules (www.theglobeandmail.com)

submitted 2 months ago by lautan@lemmy.ca to c/canada@lemmy.ca

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[-] FaceDeer@fedia.io 47 points 2 months ago

As much disdain as I have for those convoy protesters, I did wonder at the time "why not simply arrest them and impound their trucks with normal police actions first? Surely deliberately blocking roads like this is already illegal under ordinary laws." Only if that doesn't work would there be a bigger issue at hand.

Seems like my thought was correct.

[-] Akuchimoya@startrek.website 66 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

Your thinking wasn't wrong, the problem was that the municipal and provincial police and governments abdicated their duties and abandoned their citizens. The federal government stepped in because the lower levels of government refused to do their duty for weeks. I don't disagree that Trudeau stepped a foot beyond his jurisdiction, but in that scenario, he was being the only responsible adult who actively cared about the well-being of Canadians.

I'm glad it was done, and there was nothing in the execution that was heavy-handed or otherwise untoward. The people had more than ample warning to disperse, the line moved slowly (giving the people every opportunity to leave of their own volition), force was restrained and minimal. People got arrested because at that point they made the choice to be. It certainly was not the situation we currently see unfolding in the US right now (which, if we are honest, the convoyers would have wanted for their side to perpetuate, if they could).

[-] Threeskittiesinatrenchcoat@lemmy.ca 34 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

I think that’s the core here, it’s clearly laid out in the judges decision that the problem wasn’t the government using excessive force, it’s that the EA isn’t really meant to deal with this level of incompetence. Its purpose is to deal with real national security threats, and nothing the convoy did was beyond the scope of the local police, they just chose not to act, and the only mechanisms to hold anyone accountable within the police are operated by the police.

Partisanship within Canadian police departments is a serious issue, and while this ruling should be a wake up call, it won’t be heard.

Unfortunately partisan actors will paint the decision as “Trudeau is a tyrant” in conservative media regardless of the reality.

[-] sik0fewl@piefed.ca 22 points 2 months ago

Ya, I don’t understand what the alternative is supposed to be. It was declining into lawlessness because police forces refused to do their jobs.

[-] fodor@lemmy.zip 5 points 2 months ago

If the problem is that the police aren't doing their jobs, then maybe you should fire them and get some cops that will. And then the new cops can solve the problem. That's pretty obvious, isn't it?

You don't get to break the rules because you're unwilling to hire people to do their jobs.

[-] sik0fewl@piefed.ca 5 points 2 months ago

The police are under provincial (and city) control.

[-] Tollana1234567@lemmy.today 4 points 2 months ago

the convoy was orchestrarted by tamara lich who was actually just scamming them, probably funded by putin all respects.

[-] CircaV@lemmy.ca 5 points 2 months ago

Funded by the USA

[-] ikidd@lemmy.world 5 points 2 months ago

I think if it had happened anywhere except Ottawa, where the local authorities recognized this had political implications, it would have been smacked down in normal disturbance of the peace actions. But the local twits weren't about to get involved in what probably had national impact, so they just left it to the feds to clean up. I'm not sure what other avenues the feds had than the one they used, but they should probably come up with something.

You'd have figured they could order the Ottawa police to deal with it and took responsibility before they starting using things like bank account seizures and other pretty heavy handed bullshit that you'd never see in a regular action for a problem like this. That's where I was a little taken aback during the process. By all means, deal with assholes blowing their horns and shitting on people's lawns like you would normally. But using devices reserved for terrorism gave these jackasses way too much credibility.

[-] CircaV@lemmy.ca 5 points 2 months ago

Cops supported the kkklownvoy

[-] fourish@lemmy.world 4 points 2 months ago

The try this again and the appropriate response is to scatter roofing nails all along their planned route.

[-] asg101@lemmy.ca 26 points 2 months ago

When the local and provincial police were actually AIDING and ABETTING the fucking convoy as they terrorized the citizens of Ottawa, I am glad the feds stepped in. The locals decided to be part of the problem, not the solution, fuck them.

The courts now siding with the terrorists is not a huge surprise either.

[+] lautan@lemmy.ca -19 points 2 months ago

Totally unhinged response. Trudeau had many chances to solve this issue but ignored them. No blaming him?

[-] melsaskca@lemmy.ca 12 points 2 months ago

I only blame the middle-class goons with truck money who seemed to be whining about their personal discomfort by goose-stepping all over a Canadian community because of...their discomfort. Empty lives pretending to take action over the ephemeral. My guess is no money left for hobbies after spending all that truck money.

[-] brax@sh.itjust.works 6 points 2 months ago

Right? Lockdown sucked a bit because it was harder to play physical boardgames, but my other hobbies were unaffected and I had the bonus if less traffic and fewer people in grocery stores, not to mention the occasional lineup where I'd have time to mentally transition.

[-] panda_abyss@lemmy.ca 5 points 2 months ago

By resigning and putting them in power?

take off man.

[-] FireRetardant@lemmy.world -2 points 2 months ago

He didn't resign at that point, he instead left the country and wouldn't even address the protesters.

[-] panda_abyss@lemmy.ca 6 points 2 months ago

That is literally what they were demanding.

[-] FireRetardant@lemmy.world -2 points 2 months ago

I still thinks Justin's response could have been better than ignore the issue and leave the country. Addressing the protesters doesn't mean giving them exactly what they want. By not even meeting with them, Justin strengthened their movement IMO.

[-] masterofn001@lemmy.ca 10 points 2 months ago

You do realize there were legitimate threats against his life. Not just from within Canada, but from US political representatives, and folk like Jack posobiec (the guy that invented pizzagate)

The seeds of the idea of invading Canada were planted in prime time by tucker carleson and calls to liberate Canada.

Elon musk played a hand - going so far as to offer operational advise and financial support.

The whole thing was set up as a no win situation.

It was propaganda and psyops.

And making people believe Trudeau was a tyrant while calling for the overthrow of the gov and hanging people for treason was such a simple thing to accomplish.

The convoy was started under the code name operation bear hug.

It had a code name.

It was not organic.

It was aligned with j6.

It was never about freedom. Just like the free speech absolutists cries were never about free speech.

It will see fulfilment when we are invaded by ~~russia~~ the ussa.

[-] BurgerBaron@piefed.social 16 points 2 months ago

Paywall B Gone: https://archive.is/VUst5

[-] UltraGiGaGigantic@lemmy.ml 4 points 2 months ago

Thanks!

[-] dermanus@lemmy.ca 16 points 2 months ago

My view is that if the city and province responded as they should have, it would have been excessive. They tried something similar in Toronto and the cops kept them from settling in. But the city was stun-fucked and Doug Ford fucked off to the cottage, so here we are.

[-] Thedogdrinkscoffee@lemmy.ca 15 points 2 months ago

Our courts are among the most judicial, kind and respectful in the world. I disagree with them here, but ultimately respect a fine institution who is erring on a side of caution that may be absolutely true, but never reciprocated by opposition forces.

Don't draw the line in the sand too late. We've seen where that goes.

[-] RaskolnikovsAxe@lemmy.ca 12 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

I disagree with them too, and I worry about the implications of this ruling with respect to justice for the people and the city of Ottawa. Looks like the convoy and the organizers get off with no legal repercussions so I'm fairly certain this will happen again, and there will be no money to pay for the damage and the disturbance.

What should have come out of this were clear limits on reasonable protest, police powers and legal expectations, and regulations on foreign funding in our politics and NGOs, including, in particular, American funding.