Thread by @CBCRaffy

#LIVE: Prime Minister @JustinTrudeau on now, expected to announce Emergency Act in light of #ProtestConvoy. #cdnpoli Watch here:
cpac.ca/episode?id=5e1…

@JustinTrudeau thanks officers on the ground who helped reopen Ambassador Bridge. But says it's clear there are impediments, difficulties for them to act alone. "The federal government is ready to use more tools at its disposal to get the situation fully under control."

@JustinTrudeau says he's consulted w/ cabinet, caucus, spoken to opposition leaders. "The federal government has invoked the federal Emergencies Act." Says scope of measures will be time-limited, geographically targeted, reasonable, proportionate to threats they're to address.

@JustinTrudeau : it's about restoring trust to institutions. Police will be given more tools to deal with public assemblies that can be dangerous--such as in Ottawa or at bridge. More powers to arrest and fine.

@JustinTrudeau : "We cannot and will not allow illegal and dangerous activities to continue."

@JustinTrudeau : Says financial institutions will be able to regulate or prohibit use of property to fund or enable illegal blockades.

@JustinTrudeau : @rcmpgrcpolice will be allowed to have ability to enact provincial and municipal bylaws. #cdnpoli

@JustinTrudeau : Says Act will not be used to bring in the army. They will not limit constitutional rights, freedom of speech, Charter rights. Not what this is for.

Right to peaceful protest not limited either says Trudeau. In French now, repeats about the importance of restoring trust in institutions.

@JustinTrudeau : "The Act is to be used sparingly and as a last resort." Says the situation requires tools not held by any other provincial, territorial or federal law. Trudeau says they have to step up and do this. Says Act was created/flows from the Charter in the 80s.

(It is of course also the successor to the War Measures Act used in 1970).

@JustinTrudeau : says the Canada Border Services Agency has also stopped people from entering into the country to join protests. Tells businesses that have been impacted there's financial help.

"Depriving your neighbours of their freedoms is a totally different thing," @JustinTrudeau says to protestors at blockades. Says there are other ways to express yourselves.

@JustinTrudeau : teases announcement in "next few days" about changes to public health measures after pointing out gov't always follows science.

@JustinTrudeau : has approved Ukraine's request to send arms and munitions to the country. Says goal is to dissuade Russia from aggression. (Names U.S.A., Lithuania, Estonia among other Ukraine partners). Says not seeking conflict with Russia.

@cafreeland up now. Says liberal democracies around the world facing a lot of problems. Says Canadians maybe hoped they were exempt from this--but it's been clear for two weeks and a half that's not the case.

@cafreeland : "These illegal barricades are doing great damage to Canada's economy and to our reputation as as a reliable trading partner."

@cafreeland : crowd-funding platforms will now be covered by laws against terror/crime-financing.

@cafreeland : as of today all crowd-funding platforms and their payment services must register with @FINTRAC_Canada and have to report large, suspicious sums.

@cafreeland : "We are making these changes because we know that these platforms are being used to finance illegal blockades.." harming Canadian economy.

@cafreeland : Emergency act will allow financial institutions to cease providing services to accounts that appear to be financing illegal blockades, whether personal or corporate accounts.

@cafreeland : banks will as of today be immediately freeze or suspend an account without a court order. Says they will be protected against civil suit for acting in good faith this way.

@cafreeland : "This is about following the money," she says. Serves notice: if your trucks' being used in illegal blockade--your account will be suspended, and your insurance. "Send your semis home."

@cafreeland says she spoke to big bank CEOS about these measures, thanks them for doing what's right. "What we are facing today is a threat to our democratic institutions, to our economy, and to peace order and good gov't in Canada. It cannot stand and it will not stand."

Justice Minister @DavidLametti up now. Says Canada is a rule of law country, they're following law and acting within it re: Emergencies Act. Gov't believes conditions have been met.

@DavidLametti is first speaker to name the War Measures Act and admit this Emergencies Act is its successor, but says it's very different--respects Charter rights, can only be enacted in case of serious emergency.

"The provinces and territories capacity to handle this situation must show gaps" --for law to be enacted, says @DavidLametti

@DavidLametti : they only want to use reasonable, necessary powers to bring an end to the current crisis.

@DavidLametti : says a parl. committee will be struck to oversee law. Says law will only last 30 days unless renewed. Says hope is to remove it much sooner.

@DavidLametti : 6 specific measures needed. 1: regulation and prohibition of assemblies that are not lawful/peaceful.

2. designating and naming places where blockades will be limited.

3. Directing persons to act against the blockades--including tow trucks for compensation.

4. Rehash of financial institutions anno. 5. RCMP powers. 6: impositions of fines.

@DavidLametti : these measures are temporary he says.

Colleague @CBCDavid up to ask question: says some premiers have come out and say they don't want or need feds to enact/use powers. What's @JustinTrudeau reaction?

@JustinTrudeau : thanks premiers for convo. Says they're not blanket powers across country, limited by geography, tools used where and when necessary. #cdnpoli #protestconvoy

@CBCDavid : one premier has said invoking this act is like pouring oil on a fire. Dou you think you are enflaming situation? @JustinTrudeau : says his focus is on Canadians who have endured pandemic for two years and want this to be over.

@JustinTrudeau repeats every step of the way to support police of jurisdiction. As of yesterday, Ottawa Mayor @JimWatsonOttawa told CBC he still had no answer for @OttawaPolice 's ask of 1800 extra officers on the ground.

Not live tweeting next q because it's basically one of the previous ones about premiers being unhappy, but in French.

Next q: why wait until now? It's been more than two weeks since #protestconvoy started. @JustinTrudeau says he knows some say it's too late, others it's too soon. Says it's not a law to invoke lightly.

@JustinTrudeau : it was clear extra tools were needed in the last few days.

@Gray_Mackenzie : asks will @rcmpgrcpolice now be the lead police force in Ottawa? And when will @OttawaPolice get the resources they've been asking for?

@JustinTrudeau : the Act does not make @rcmpgrcpolice the lead police force, just allows them to support jurisdictions. Turns to Public Safety Minister @marcomendicino for the rest.

@marcomendicino says they've sent three different contingents of RCMP. Says there are a lot of challenges. Says difficult to overstate impact of scenes on Wellington on the weekend (where I saw one RCMP patrol car over two nights for the record). #cdnpoli

@marcomendicino repeats how they've had to introduce Emergencies Act very carefully. Says while there's been progress in Windsor, should not assume progress is linear. Want to be sure law enforcement have tools they need, such as two trucks, jersey barriers.

@Gray_Mackenzie to @JustinTrudeau : why do you have faith @OttawaPolice after three weeks of lawlessness will now be able to turn things around? Trudeau says there's confidence, invites Emergency Preparedness Min. @BillBlair to speak.

@BillBlair says Ottawa Police remains police of jurisdiction. Reiterates how command centre was created. "It's not simply an issue of resources but of authorities." Yesterday Blair told @RosieBarton lack of policing action was 'inexplicable.'

Asked what it would take to bring in military, @JustinTrudeau : I'm not going to engage in hypotheticals right now.

@JustinTrudeau is now asked about Blair's language this weekend. Asked if he's "baffled" too (another word used by Blair this weekend). Says people are tired etc.

@RyanTumilty asks what @JustinTrudeau thinks of the @JimWatsonOttawa deal with one convoy leader. Trudeau says it's no longer a lawful protest, it's an illegal occupation, time for people to go home. He knows city hall, police have been working hard.

@RyanTumilty : don't you find it problematic that the city has put more trucks in front of Parliament Hill thru deal? @JustinTrudeau sidesteps, says they're working with banks for truck seizure etc.

Q to @JustinTrudeau : do you feel a degree of responsibility for how far these protests went, given your tone etc? Trudeau says everyone's frustrated about pandemic. Canadians across country were there for each other etc. Sidesteps self-reflection on his tone.

@TondaMacC asks @JustinTrudeau about the q @Gray_Mackenzie asked re: 1800 officers ask. Tonda also asks: how to justify giving police more powers when they're not using powers they've got now.

@JustinTrudeau : there will be time to reflect later on how this all went down. Says resources have been delivered by RCMP and OPP. Says integrated planning has been done.

@TondaMacC asks @JustinTrudeau about reputational damage to Canada. What was the tipping point for him to move? Was it about White House applying pressure? Trudeau says it's impact on workers in auto sector, convo to MP in Windsor--direct impact hurting people.

Says we have been there to support local police of jurisdiction. Says speaking to fellow leaders around the world, it's something democracies around world are concerned with.

@JustinTrudeau : countries seeing backlash against measures.

@MariekeWalsh asks: where specifically will the law apply, given it's 'geographically limited?' @JustinTrudeau : necessarily it covers the entire country because it's federal. But says provisions will apply only where they are needed.

@JustinTrudeau : they'll apply to Ambassador Bridge because need to keep it open. But not for example to smaller pieces of critical infrastructure in remote areas unaffected by blockades.

@MariekeWalsh : how will you measure success? @JustinTrudeau : says measures will be about whether supply chains restored, whether Canadians can get their lives back.