Court Rules Trudeau's Use of Emergencies Act During Freedom Convoy Protests 'Unreasonable'

Government to Appeal Decision, Citing National Security Concerns

Canadian Federal Court Justice Richard Mosley ruled that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's use of the Emergencies Act to end the Freedom Convoy protests in February 2022 was 'unreasonable' and 'unjustified'.
The Emergencies Act was invoked to give the government sweeping powers to ban gatherings at certain locations, stop crowdfunding efforts to support the protest, and freeze the bank accounts of key protest organizers.
The Canadian Civil Liberties Association and the Canadian Constitution Foundation brought the case against the federal government, arguing that Trudeau was overreaching his authority by using the never-before-used legislation.
The Trudeau government plans to appeal the ruling, with Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland stating that the administration’s actions were 'necessary' and 'legal' because Canadian 'national security was under real threat.'
The court's ruling is expected to provide clarity on when future governments might invoke the act, but has been seized upon by Trudeau’s political rivals as evidence of his overreach.