Battle lines are drawn as the Emergencies Act inquiry gets underway in Ottawa - 2022-10-13

Battle lines are drawn as the Emergencies Act inquiry gets underway in Ottawa October 13, 2022, Catharine Tunney, CBC News

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Eight months after anti-COVID-19 vaccine mandate protesters gridlocked parts of downtown Ottawa, a public inquiry has opened public hearings as it probes the federal government's unprecedented use of emergency powers to clear the capital.

The Public Order Emergency Commission's official launch this morning kicks off what's anticipated to be a politically tense six weeks as the inquiry hears from federal government representatives about why they felt they had to invoke the never-before-used Emergencies Act, and from those who argue it was a step too far.

Invoking the act gave authorities new powers allowing them to freeze the finances of those connected to blockades and protests, ban travel to protest zones, prohibit people from bringing minors to unlawful assemblies and commandeer tow trucks.

Wikipedia cite:

{{cite news | first = Catharine | last = Tunney | title = Battle lines are drawn as the Emergencies Act inquiry gets underway in Ottawa | url = https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/convoy-inquiry-start-1.6613679 | work = CBC News | date = October 13, 2022 | accessdate = October 15, 2022 }}