OTTAWA: The Canadian Constitution Foundation (CCF) will appear at the Rouleau Commission hearing on Thursday, October 13 to make opening remarks. The Rouleau Commission, also known as the Public Order Emergency Commission, was established to inquire into the circumstances that led to the declaration of emergency that was in place in response to the “Freedom Convoy” protests. The Commissioner is Justice Paul Rouleau of the Court of Appeal for Ontario.
The hearings will be available virtually on the Commission’s website and begin at 9:30 am EST.
The CCF has been granted status as a party in the Inquiry.
“The CCF is looking forward to this historic inquiry into the federal government’s unprecedented use of the Emergencies Act in response to public protests in Ottawa. This was the first time this legislation has ever been used since it was enacted following the historic and disastrous overreaction to the FLQ crisis. The Emergencies Act was intentionally designed with safeguards to prevent a repeat of abuse of emergency legislation,” said CCF Litigation Director Christine Van Geyn.
The CCF has been allocated 5 minutes to make introductory remarks on October 13. In the days to follow the CCF will also have opportunities to cross examine witnesses called before the Rouleau Commission. The CCF is represented in this case by Sujit Choudhry and Janani Shanmuganathan.
“The Emergencies Act is only available to deal with urgent, temporary and national situations when no other legal tools are available. There is evidence of many existing legal tools that could have been used to clear the protests. We look forward to participating in the Rouleau Commission to address this evidence, and help the Commission develop a framework to guide future governments on when this legislation can lawfully be used,” continued Van Geyn.
Members of the public interested in supporting the CCF’s work as a part of the inquiry and the CCF’s legal challenge in federal court to the federal government’s use of the Emergencies Act can make a tax-deductible charitable donation on the CCF’s website here: https://theccf.ca/donate/
