Americans often take for granted their right to free speech guaranteed under the Constitution. Most countries don’t allow their citizens to speak their minds like Americans.
A key democratic ally to the north is a country on edge that in recent years suppressed free speech. This was evident during the pandemic a few years ago. Some people who spoke out against the government, were attacked financially and even jailed.
Truckers in Canada created the most visible display of civil protest against Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s authoritarian COVID-19 lockdowns and vaccine edicts. Truckers united to clog the streets of cities across the country and Trudeau reacted by freezing bank accounts, towing trucks, and arresting some of the “Freedom Convoy” participants.
Trudeau’s heavy-handed actions were recently slammed by a high court in Canada. Now the prime minister is reeling from his legal loss.
From the Daily Caller:
A federal court in Canada has ruled that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s use of the Emergencies Act against protesters in 2022 was unconstitutional, according to a judicial review released on Tuesday. Trudeau’s use of the act was not legal and “not justified,” Federal Court Justice Richard Mosley wrote in the decision.
“I conclude there was no national emergency justifying the invocation of the Emergencies Act and the decision to do so was therefore unreasonable,” Mosley wrote. “The decision to issue the Proclamation does not bear the hallmarks of reasonableness – justification, transparency and intelligibility – and was not justified in relation to the relevant factual and legal constraints that were required to be taken into consideration.”
The judge’s eloquent and fiery decision was vindication for the truckers and their supporters. The Canadian Constitutional Foundation (CCF) and the Canadian Civil Liberties Association (CCLA) advocacy groups brought the legal action against the government.
Aaron Wudrick, Director, Domestic Policy Program, at the think-tank Macdonald-Laurier Institute wrote on X that many people argued all along the government broke the law by invoking the Emergencies Act. “We should feel vindicated today, and grateful for the dogged determination of organizations like (CCF) and (CCLA),” he said.
Canadian government officials plan to appeal the judge’s ruling and they are still clinging to their claims that the nation was in danger. Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland stood fast during a press conference and held that government officials deliberated and took seriously their reasoning for oppressing their fellow citizens.
“We were convinced at the time, I was convinced at the time, [that] it was the right thing to do,” Freeland said. “I remain and we remain convinced of that.”
Canadians should consider uniting like the truckers and show Trudeau the exit from government. The embattled prime minister is severely unpopular with the Canadian public, polling at a 64% disapproval rating. Trudeau has rebuffed calls for him to resign in 2024.
Key Takeaways:
- Justin Trudeau was slammed by a Canadian high court for violating the law.
- Trudeau jailed truckers for protesting lockdowns and vaccine mandates.
- The judge in the case stated there was no national emergency caused by truckers.
Source: Daily Caller
