Trudeau expected to testify at Emergencies Act inquiry, PMO says
Hearings are set to take place Oct. 13 and wrap up in November
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is expected to testify during the public inquiry looking into the invocation of the federal Emergencies Act during February's Freedom Convoy protests in Ottawa, according to his office.
The Public Order Emergency Commission has yet to make its list of witnesses public, but a spokesperson from the Prime Minister's Office told CBC on background that Trudeau is expected to be invited and is "welcome" to the idea.
CTV News first reported that the prime minister will testify at the inquiry.
Trudeau invoked the act on Feb. 14 — for the first time in Canada's history — giving the federal government temporary powers to deal with the anti-COVID-19 restriction blockades that gridlocked Ottawa for three weeks last winter as protesters parked trucks that blocked neighbourhood access and main arteries around Parliament Hill.
The Liberal government has waived cabinet confidence over documents relating to its invocation of the Emergencies Act, agreeing to a request from Paul Rouleau, the head of the public inquiry.
The inquiry was scheduled initially to start on Sept. 19 and run until Oct. 28. But due to Rouleau undergoing a recent and unexpected surgery, it's now set to start Oct. 13. and wrap up its public hearings on Nov. 25.