Emergencies Act gets warm reception from Winnipeg mayor, but cold shoulder from protesters

The prime minister's decision to give the federal government temporary powers to handle ongoing blockades and protests against pandemic restrictions has raised collective concerns among those protesting outside Manitoba's provincial legislature.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau invoked the Emergencies Act for the first time in Canadian history Monday, and according to those protesting outside the Manitoba legislature in Winnipeg, the move is unwarranted.

"I don't think there's any legal basis for it. I think it's a gross government overstep," Christina Friesen said Tuesday. "An Emergencies Act is not intended to be used against their own people. We're not terrorists. We're just everyday, hard-working people standing up for our rights and freedoms."

Friesen, a long-haul truck driver from Steinbach, contends the protest outside the seat of Manitoba's democracy is peaceful, and that Trudeau's actions will only contribute to rising tensions.

"It's going to cause more distrust among everybody," she said.

The protest site at Memorial Boulevard and Broadway initially formed on Feb. 4 in response to the federal government's imposition of a vaccination mandate for truckers crossing into the United States, but has since drawn in a wide array of groups disaffected by COVID-19 health restrictions.

The protest, dubbed the Freedom Convoy, has also drawn its share of ire, especially from residents fed up with the traffic and noise generated by honking trucks circling the area while adorned with signs and Canadian flags.

On Tuesday, protest co-organizer Caleb Brown said the convoy will eliminate all horn-honking on weekdays, with the exception of two daily two-minute periods — at 9 a.m. and 6:58 p.m.

"We can't control passing traffic, but the trucks that you see here will be silent with the exception of those two [times]," Brown said.

For the past several days, trucks had been honking for two minutes at the top of every hour, from 9 a.m. until 9 p.m.

Winnipeg mayor on board with invoking act

Winnipeg Mayor Brian Bowman has been outspoken in his criticism of the protest outside the legislature.

In a statement Tuesday, he said he is grateful the federal government is "taking action to make additional tools available to assist with the quick and peaceful end to the unlawful occupations," raising the possibility the Emergencies Act could be used in the city.

"Once the federal government has published and finalized the regulations, our public service will be able to consider if and how they may assist in our community," Bowman said.

Convoy protester Paul Bigras said he believes the Emergencies Act is an overstep by the federal government, but promised protesters outside the legislature will respond with kindness. 

"Our response is going to be an act of love," Bigras told CBC News. "We are going to wrap that up and show peace, control, confidence and focus on what we are here for and that's freedom of rights."

The deployment of the Emergencies Act gives police additional tools to restore order in places where public assemblies constitute illegal and dangerous activities, such as blockades and occupations, Trudeau said.

The act also will enable the RCMP to enforce municipal bylaws and provincial offences where required, such as at the Canada-U.S. border near Emerson, Man.

Trudeau within his rights: professor

According to Bryan Peeler, a political science professor with the University of Manitoba, the Emergencies Act could be used to deal with the protesters in Winnipeg, if the situation was to get more serious.

Peeler says Trudeau was within his rights to invoke the act because the situation is an urgent and critical situation of a temporary nature; a security threat against the ability of government to preserve sovereignty, security and territorial integrity; and since the situation with the protesters cannot be effectively dealt with by any other law.

"The provincial government here in Manitoba shows no interest in doing anything. So I think that's why the Emergencies Act was ultimately invoked ... to give the federal government the power if the situation were to deteriorate, to do something," he said. 

Peeler pointed out the Emergencies Act wouldn't need to exist if it allowed government officials to simply have law enforcement do the tasks their employment requires them to do.

"The issue here is that they aren't," Peeler said of police.

"It doesn't seem like the police are doing much to do anything about these protests," he added. "It is interesting to see how much discretion police have when it comes to enforcing the law. I think that's kind of been made clear that the laws only are only as strong as the will of the police to enforce them."

The organizer of Saturday's Defend Winnipeg counter-protest against the Freedom Convoy agrees police haven't done enough to enforce the laws, but nevertheless calls the invocation of the Emergencies Act "completely unnecessary."

Omar Kinnarath lamented what he called a "failing" effort by the Winnipeg Police Service when counter-protesters took to the steps of the legislature Saturday.

"There was more riot police there than there were convoy protesters," Kinnarath said. "It's very clear that the Winnipeg police is at war with its own citizens. You're sending 40 cops to face off against doctors, nurses, teachers and people who contribute to this community in protection of the property and intruders.

"They're showing they are incompetent."

An email Saturday from a Winnipeg police spokesperson said "additional police resources" were deployed as a result of conflicting protests Saturday, to ensure the safety of everyone involved.