As the world watches Putin invade Ukraine, Prime Minister Trudeau quietly revokes the Emergency Act that he used on peaceful truckers.

On Wednesday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced he was revoking the Emergencies Act he put in place last week. His unprecedented and controversial use of the Act to end the actions of the Truckers Freedom Convoy parked in Ottawa for three weeks was sustained by a vote along partisan lines in the House of Commons on Monday but appeared to be facing more significant challenges in Canada’s Senate. It required the support of both Houses of Parliament to remain in effect for 30 days. It appears that opposition in the Senate and massive public condemnation of his actions may have influenced the PM’s decision not to wait for the Senate vote. In his public announcement, he merely stated that: “. . . we are ready to confirm that the situation is no longer an emergency.”

Only hours later, Russian President Vladimir Putin let loose the dogs of war on neighbouring Ukraine. While an aggressive action against the border provinces of Luhansk and Donetsk had been anticipated for weeks, most politicians and commentators appeared stunned by the blitzkrieg-like attack on the whole of Ukraine, including its capital, Kiev. Russia claims to have destroyed Ukraine’s air defences; troops and equipment are now moving across the borders from Russia and Belarus. Casualty numbers at this early stage are impossible to estimate. Mr. Putin warned other countries that any interference with his military operations would lead to “dire consequences.” Many interpreted that to be a thinly-veiled threat of nuclear reprisal.

Rod Taylor, Leader of Canada’s Christian Heritage Party, commented: “What the people and Government of Ukraine are experiencing is a real tragedy and a real emergency. Even there, Martial Law was not declared until the nation was under missile attack, countless buildings were destroyed and—more importantly—an unknown number of precious and innocent human lives were sacrificed to the cold and deliberate machinations of a power-hungry dictator. Our Canadian Prime Minister—by contrast—used the equivalent of the War Measures Act to clear the streets of peaceful protestors. In the weeks leading up to police actions, I’m not aware of even one window being broken in Ottawa . . . until government-directed police began breaking the windows of trucks and cars. I’m not aware of one incident of violence until police horses trampled protestors and policemen kicked, pepper-sprayed, punched and struck with batons the people who came to Ottawa to speak to the Prime Minister. Not once did the PM make any effort to speak with the anti-mandate protestors or to hear directly from them. Canadians deserve an apology and the mandates that have caused so much suffering should be revoked today along with the misguided Emergencies Act. All eyes are now on the Ukraine, where a real emergency is taking place.

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