Dear Member of Parliament,

The invocation of the Emergencies Act by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is an unprecedented unwarranted use of executive power, which Canadians from coast to coast find shocking and deeply disturbing.

Canada’s Emergencies Act says that a “national emergency” must “seriously threaten the ability of the Government of Canada to preserve the sovereignty, security and territorial integrity of Canada” in a way that cannot be dealt with effectively by existing federal or provincial laws.

Thousands of videos of the peaceful and festive nature of the demonstrations in Ottawa have been viewed by people all over the world, even while Canada’s traditional media networks appear disinterested in this reality. The peaceful protesters in Ottawa these past three weeks have caused some inconvenience to some Ottawa residents. But to suggest, as some politicians have, that these protesters threaten the “sovereignty, security and territorial integrity of Canada” is absurd.

The Freedom Convoy in Ottawa consists of hard-working Canadian citizens, many families, veterans, and small business owners, some of whom have travelled thousands of miles, who are peacefully expressing their opposition to the violation of their Charter rights and freedoms by current federal vaccine mandates and other restrictions.

The freezing of bank accounts without evidence threatens the health and safety of peaceful protesters and their families. This gross misuse of the Emergency Act is tyrannical. If Members of Parliament permit the abuse of the Emergencies Act to suppress the peaceful exercise of the Charter freedoms of expression, conscience, association and peaceful assembly, this would create a terrifying precedent for current and future leaders in the executive branch of Canada’s government.

On behalf of the Justice Centre and its supporters across Canada, I implore you to respect Canada’s supreme law: our Constitution, including the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms (the “Charter“), to which the Emergencies Act is subject.  Please exercise your vote and vote against the unwarranted and unconstitutional abuse of executive power via the Emergencies Act.

Yours Truly,

John Carpay, B.A., LL.B.
President
Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms
#253, 7620 Elbow Drive SW • Calgary, AB • T2V 1K2