NDP leader Jagmeet Singh said the LDP is unlikely to withdraw its support for the Liberal government. Public Security Emergency Committee It concludes that the federal government’s use of emergency legislation to address the Freedom Convoy protests earlier this year was unjustified.
In an interview with CTV News, Mr Singh said his party would reserve judgment on the matter until all the facts were made public by the commission. series of hearings From October 13th to November 25th, we will investigate the activation of the February 14th law by the Liberal government.
“Simply because it was the wrong decision is not enough for us to break down or force the country to hold elections,” Singh told CTV News.
The government has invoked the state of emergency law in response to nationwide protests and border closures against federal COVID-19 orders and restrictions. The act gave police additional powers to remove protesters in an escalated operation, although several border closures had already been lifted by that time.
In a debate in the House of Commons on the February 17th launch of the unprecedented law, Singh expressed concern that the measure could be abused by the government, but nevertheless, their response to the protests. Considering the views, I decided to support the Liberal Party.
Candice Bergen, then interim Conservative leader, criticized the then NDP for supporting the Liberals in the use of emergency measures.
“I especially want to remind this to the New Democrats who are backing the Liberal Party with this sledgehammer approach. History will not be kind to NDP leaders or their members on this particular issue.” she said.
Commission member Paul Rouleau said on the first day of the inquiry, the main questions the commission will try to answer are why the government declared a public order emergency and how the government exercised its powers. , and whether those actions were appropriate.
Singh told CTV News that he didn’t want to assume Rouleaux’s conclusions in a report due to be submitted to the House and Senate by February 20, 2023, but his party is at the heart of it. of whether the act that has been advocated to reach should be invoked.
“We’ve always said we wanted to find out if it was the only option, if there were other options, if there was a better approach. And we fully support a full and transparent investigation into it. I will,” he said.
The NDP reached a deal with the Federal Liberal Party in March to keep Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in power until 2025, in return for advancing the NDP’s agenda, including national medical and dental plans. asked for a commitment.
But Singh said his party “always has the right to withdraw its support” for the Liberal Party.
Noë Chartier and Peter Wilson contributed to this report.
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Andrew Chen is a reporter for the Epoch Times based in Toronto.