How southwestern Ontario MPs voted on the Emergencies Act

A rare weekend sitting saw members of Parliament debating the merits of the Liberal government's decision to invoke the Emergencies Act. 

When asked what the tipping point was to invoke the act, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said it was in response to the blockade at the Ambassador Bridge in Windsor, Ont.

On Monday, 336 members voted on a motion to confirm the declaration of emergency made by the federal government on Feb. 14.

The motion passed 185-151. 

Here's how elected representatives in southwestern Ontario voted:

Supporting the motion

Windsor-Tecumseh Liberal MP Irek Kusmierczyk has been vocal about the ripple affect of the Ambassador Bridge blockade throughout southern Ontario. 

Kusmierczyk voted in favour of the motion while sharing his father's experience as a member of the Solidarity movement living in Poland when the Communist party introduced martial law in the 1980s.

"I have heard many people during the protests, and here in this House, compare the Emergencies Act to martial law and to communism. Such language only inflames," said Kusmierczyk.

He highlighted the oversight required while invoking the act, including a joint committee on how the act is used and a public inquiry required immediately after the expiration of the act. 

Windsor West NDP MP Brian Masse is the longest-serving MP in southwestern Ontario. He represents constituents surrounding the Ambassador Bridge. 

He voted in favour of the Emergency Act motion and questioned why other members thought "that things are fine at the Ambassador Bridge."

"In fact, since the Emergencies Act has been in place, convoys have been turned back, but there are still threats that could take place," said Masse.

"It is totally irresponsible to put it on local municipalities, and I cannot understand why Ontario and Quebec MPs would want to put the onus entirely on them when the danger is still around."

Opposing the motion

Essex Conservative MP Chris Lewis voted against the motion while criticizing the NDP for voting in favour of it. 

"The greatest emergency in Canada today is that the NDP continues to prop up this power-hungry Liberal government," said Lewis. 

"The very fact that the standoffs at the Windsor-Detroit and Coutts borders were ended peacefully, clearly demonstrates that the Emergency Act was, quite frankly, unnecessary."

Lewis later told CBC News that he is fully supportive of people's right to peacefully protest, but the one at the Ambassador Bridge "hits all of our wallets."

"Please have your voice be heard but also understand when we block commerce, we're blocking food on our tables," he said. 

"Continue to have a huge voice but please equally understand it's damaging to the food on people's tables and people's livelihoods."

Dave Epp, Chatham-Kent-Leamington's Conservative MP, said he stood in the House of Commons with "great sadness and disappointment," and that the current situation was unnecessary and avoidable. 

He voted against the motion.

"Let me be clear: Illegally parking a semi, excessively blowing horns and harassment all contravene bylaws, but these violations are subject to fines, towing, injunctions and existing remedies under existing laws, provincially and municipally, and under existing law enforcement," he said.

"They can be reinforced with help from federal police forces without invoking this act."

Epp said Trudeau should have met with protesters in Ottawa, and called the public inquiry required following the act "the only good thing that may come" because it documents what Epp calls a grab for power. 

Marilyn Gladu is the Conservative MP in Sarnia-Lambton and the newly appointed shadow critic for International Trade. 

Gladu voted against the motion and took time over the weekend in the House of Commons to question the mandates put in place by the federal government that require people travelling across the International border to be vaccinated or face quarantine measures. 

She also referenced an unproven claim from constituents she said are claiming their bank accounts have been frozen after buying T-shirts supporting the Freedom Convoy.

Conservative MP Lianne Rood said she's received similar calls from people in her riding of Lambton-Kent-Middlesex.

"They are gripped with fear that donating to or purchasing from anything not approved by the government will result in their assets being frozen," said Rood, who voted against the motion.

"They have very real concerns about how the changes brought by the act will impact their finances and their credit ratings long term."

The RCMP has released a statement saying it provided a list of influencers in the Ottawa protests to financial institutions, but did not give them the names of individual donors. 

"We are now working with the banks to build a process to address the accounts that were frozen," the statement says.