Should the government declare a national emergency?

[Hussain]

As Canada confronts the worsening COVID-19 outbreak, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has hinted his government might declare a federal emergency, giving his cabinet extra powers to battle the pandemic.

“It is a major tool and I can tell you that we already have a lot of tools that allow us to do what we need to do,” said Trudeau, at his Thursday news conference outside Rideau Cottage in Ottawa. “If there are other steps that need to be accomplished and can only be accomplished through invoking the Emergencies Act then we will do so.”

Some experts have been urging the government to invoke the Emergencies Act, while others have shuddered at the idea, which would be an extraordinary step in the government’s response to the crisis.

“We do recognize that the Emergencies Act is an extreme law with certain implications that would also require us to bring back the House of Commons to pass these measures,” said Trudeau.

 

 

[betsy]

No.  There's a reason why all Premiers soundly rejected that.  

 

 

Quote

 

With Federal Incompetence Increasingly Obvious, Premiers Reject Giving Trudeau Emergency Powers

From refusing to ban flights from China, waiting too long to call for shutdowns, trying to make a disturbing grab for power, and leaving the borders open until it was too late, and listening to corrupted WHO advice, the federal Liberal government has gotten it wrong every step of the way.

And now, the Premiers seem to be realizing it, quickly rejecting the idea of the federal government having emergency powers.

According to a recent report, the Premiers strong, and swiftly, rejected the latest federal government attempt to use the Emergency Act:

 

 

https://www.spencerfernando.com/2020/04/10/with-federal-incompetence-increasingly-obvious-premiers-reject-giving-trudeau-emergency-powers/

 

 

 

Quote

 

The Council of the Federation can be divided on partisan and regional lines, but yesterday Canada's 13 premiers came to a quick consensus on a key message to the federal government: now is not the time for the federal Emergencies Act. 

B.C Premier John Horgan — whose province has shown progress in flattening the curve of its coronavirus outbreak —  was so angry he used an expletive and called the ordeal a waste of time, said sources.

On the call with the prime minister, Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe, chair of the Council of the Federation, questioned why the federal government keeps raising the act, which the provinces consider a non-starter. 

 

https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/emergencies-act-premiers-consensus-1.5529119

Edited April 17, 2020 by betsy

[Rue]

Hey now he just noticed he had testacles?

[WestCanMan]

Yes, because we do have a national emergency. Our PM is an idiot and a traitor.