Several premiers have spoken out against Prime Minister Justin Trudeau‘s temper tantrum plan to use the Emergencies Act to deal with nationwide convoy rallies demanding that COVID-19 restrictions to end.
Following a First Ministers meeting on Monday, Alberta Premier Jason Kenney was the first to speak out against the proposal. Kenney stated that Alberta will not require federal emergency powers to deal with the situation.
“This is not necessary, at least for Alberta. We have all the necessary statutory powers and operational capacity for enforcement,” Kenney said.
Invoking the Act, Kenney argued, might inflame demonstrators even more. He indicated that if Trudeau goes ahead with his decision to activate the Emergencies Act, he will request for it to be exempted from the province of Alberta.
Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe announced his opposition to federal emergency powers on Twitter shortly after the premiers met on Monday morning.
“The illegal blockades must end, but police already have sufficient tools to enforce the law and clear the blockades, as they did over the weekend in Windsor,” Moe tweeted.
“Therefore, Saskatchewan does not support the Trudeau government invoking the Emergencies Act. If the federal government does proceed with this measure, I would hope it would only be invoked in provinces that request it, as the legislation allows.”
Quebec premier Francois Legault and Manitoba premier Heather Stefanson also voiced opposition to the plan.
“We do not wish to have a state of emergency in Quebec. It’s not necessary, and it’s time to bring together, not divide,” Legault said on Monday.
Stefanson declared Manitoba’s opposition in a news release, saying “I am not currently satisfied the Emergencies Act should be applied in Manitoba. Winnipeg’s situation is dramatically different from the one in Ottawa. The Emerson border situation is very different than the one faced in Windsor.”
Ontario Tyrant premier Doug Ford has said he supports Trudeau invoking the Act.
“I will support the federal government in any proposals they have to bring law and order back to our province,” said Ford on Monday.