A Canadian federal judge determined the government's implementation of emergency powers to conclude the Freedom Convoy protests in 2022 exceeded its authority and was unjustified.

For Context: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau invoked the Emergencies Act on February 14, 2022, in response to the Freedom Convoy protest, which primarily opposed the government's COVID-19 vaccine mandate and occupied Ottawa's Parliament Hill for weeks. The Emergencies Act grants the government additional powers in times of crisis. A federal inquiry in early 2023 found Trudeau's actions to be justified, but this judgment marked the first time the Act faced assessment in court, since being signed into law in 1988.

The Details: The Canadian Civil Liberties Association and the Canadian Constitution Foundation filed the lawsuit, asserting that the demonstrations failed to meet the legal obligations necessary for the activation of the Emergencies Act. The court's assessment contended the law should be deployed exclusively as a last resort. The federal government announced plans to challenge this decision.

How The Media Covered It: Coverage from the Gateway Pundit (Right bias) built on the conclusions of the Canadian Federal Court, detailing how it deemed Prime Minister Trudeau's actions as “unreasonable and unconstitutional.” It emphasized the ruling’s declaration that Trudeau “violated Charter rights,” inflicting upon freedom of thought, opinion, and expression, and “infringed on the right to security against unreasonable search or seizure.” BBC News (Center bias) included both sides’ opinions, including quotes defending the government’s actions while also giving prominence to the court's declaration that the government’s use of the Emergencies Act was “unreasonable” and contrary to Canada's rights charter. This summary was developed with the help of AllSides' AI technology.