Civil Liberties Groups Demand Feds Allow Robust Inquiry Into Use of Emergencies Act

04/27/2022

Since it was announced, the CCLA and Democracy Watch have maintained their position that the federal government did not meet the legal threshold necessary to invoke the Emergencies Act. Premiers in Saskatchewan, Alberta, Manitoba, and Quebec also expressed concern over invoking the act, while some maritime premiers said it wasn't needed.

In addition to the public inquiry and a separate special parliamentary committee, four groups and the province of Alberta have launched legal challenges to scrutinize the government's use of the emergency law.

The law defines a national emergency as an urgent situation that seriously endangers lives, health, or safety, and that cannot be effectively dealt with under any other law.

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