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Decentralized Democracy

House Hansard - 84

44th Parl. 1st Sess.
June 8, 2022 02:00PM
  • Jun/8/22 2:43:26 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I am happy to give an answer by refreshing his memory and the memory of all members in this chamber that, last winter, we experienced an unprecedented public order emergency in the opinion of law enforcement, which is why, prior to invoking the Emergencies Act, we sought their advice on the powers that were needed to restore public safety. Let me quote from Commissioner Lucki's testimony before the committee when she said— Some hon. members: Oh, oh!
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  • Jun/8/22 2:44:00 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I was just about to say that Commissioner Lucki said the following: “the Emergencies Act did give us the tools that we needed to get the job done quickly.” We invoked the Emergencies Act to restore public safety. It was the right and responsible thing to do.
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  • Jun/8/22 2:44:56 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I want to be absolutely clear that last winter when we saw an unprecedented public order emergency in the opinion of law enforcement, we filled the gaps that existed within authorities that were not effective at the time to restore public safety. Prior to invoking the Emergencies Act, we sought advice, as any responsible government would do, prior to invoking the act. We heard Commissioner Lucki say that we needed, for example, power to compel tow trucks as a result of protesters who would not leave. I wonder why they would not leave. They would not leave because Conservatives were egging them on to stay. That was wrong and we invoked it to protect Canadians.
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  • Jun/8/22 2:46:13 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, as we have said all along, the government will co-operate with Justice Rouleau. We will co-operate with the joint parliamentary committee to be transparent because I agree with my colleague that we need to scrutinize the invocation of the Emergencies Act. My point is that the facts are very clear. We were in the midst and in the throes of an unprecedented public order emergency in the opinion of non-partisan, professional law enforcement. When we sought their advice about which powers were needed to restore public safety, we listened to them and we invoked to restore public safety.
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  • Jun/8/22 2:47:23 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, when we invoked the Emergencies Act, we did it to restore public safety after we sought the advice of law enforcement. Following that, we commenced the public inquiry giving— Some hon. members: Oh, oh!
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  • Jun/8/22 2:47:53 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, we invoked the Emergencies Act to restore public safety. We did it following the conversations and consultations we had with law enforcement, including on which powers were needed to restore public safety. At the conclusion of it, we revoked the Emergencies Act and, as part of that, we are now participating in an exercise of transparency, including with Justice Rouleau, who has the power to compel witnesses and documents, including classified information. Of course, the government will co-operate because we agree that the act should be scrutinized so that it is never abused. We will always follow that principle.
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  • Jun/8/22 3:07:47 p.m.
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  • Re: Bill C-5 
Mr. Speaker, serious offences will always be punished in a serious manner. The situation that my colleague just described is not a situation targeted by Bill C‑5. This bill addresses situations that are not a threat to public safety. Bill C‑5 seeks to address the overrepresentation of Black and indigenous people in the justice system. That is precisely what we are doing.
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  • Jun/8/22 3:09:00 p.m.
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  • Re: Bill C-5 
Mr. Speaker, it is difficult to watch the opposition continue to support Harper's tough-on-crime policy, which was a total failure. What we are doing is continuing to punish serious offences in a serious way. What we are doing is taking a different approach when public safety is not threatened or at risk in order to help communities and victims.
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