Use of Emergencies Act to stop ‘Freedom Convoy’ unreasonable: appeal court

The Federal Court of Appeal on Friday ruled that the federal government’s use of the Emergencies Act to quell the 2022 “Freedom Convoy” protests was unreasonable.

The ruling upheld a 2024 decision by the Federal Court that also concluded there was “no national emergency justifying the invocation of the Emergencies Act” in response to the weeks-long blockade in downtown Ottawa.

The national movement also involved truck blockades at key border crossings to the United States, which prompted then-prime minister Justin Trudeau to declare a national emergency “arising from threats to Canada’s security.”

“The Federal Court correctly determined that the declaration of a public order emergency was unreasonable,” the appeal court ruling said.

The appeal court also agreed with the lower court that invoking the emergency powers led to the infringement of constitutional rights.

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