Government’s use of Emergencies Act in 2022 was ‘unreasonable’: Court of Appeal
By Canadian Press on January 16, 2026.
OTTAWA — The Federal Court of Appeal has ruled it was unreasonable for the Liberal government to use the Emergencies Act four years ago to quell protests.
For about three weeks in January and February 2022, downtown Ottawa was filled with protesters, including many in large trucks that blocked streets around Parliament Hill.
Big rigs also jammed key border crossings to the United States, including routes at Windsor, Ont., and Coutts, Alta.
While many demonstrated against pandemic health restrictions, the gathering attracted people with a variety of grievances against then-prime minister Justin Trudeau and the Liberal government.
On Feb. 14, 2022, the government invoked the Emergencies Act, which allowed for temporary measures, including regulation and prohibition of public assemblies, the designation of secure places and a direction to banks to freeze assets.
A Federal Court judge ruled two years ago the government’s decision to issue the proclamation did not bear the hallmarks of reasonableness — justification, transparency and intelligibility.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 16, 2026.
Jim Bronskill, The Canadian Press
11-10
The sad reality is that the many victims will never be fairly compensated . The perpetrators of this injustice should be held responsible personally. Too bad there is no justice in Canada.