Page 52 - ACTL Journal Win24

Coutts, Alberta, was a critical crossing, especially for the livestock in- dustry. However, beyond the economic impacts, there was a real threat of violence. In this area, four individuals have now been charged with conspiracy to commit murder, with police officers as the intended victims. This situation highlighted the seriousness of the protests and the potential for violence.
definition contained in the Canadian Secu- rity Intelligence Service Act:
“Activities within or relating to Canada directed toward or supporting a threat or using acts of serious violence against persons or property for the purpose of achieving a political, religious, or ideo- logical objective.”
The Ambassador Bridge alone carries almost $400 million CAD ($325 million U.S.) in trade per day, translating to nearly one billion dollars of goods crossing the border every three days.
The Convoy blockades moved from place to place. The blockades and disruptions, often described as a “whack-a-mole,” led to significant eco- nomic impact and logistical challenges. The protest would move to the Blue Water Bridge, then later perhaps to the Peace Bridge, but always maintained focus on the Ambassador Bridge because of its importance, especially within automobile manufacturing.
The scale of the protest in Ottawa was unprecedented, not foreseen or foreseeable by authorities. It disrupted daily life, with road closures and occupied streets. Key landmarks, including Parliament Hill, the Prime Minister’s office, federal buildings, and the Supreme Court, were affected by the protesters and trucks. The noise pollution from honking trucks, diesel engines, and generator-powered campsites disrupted residents and tourists. Air quality in Ottawa suffered due to the heavy presence of idling trucks, negatively affecting public health. The immediate surroundings were transformed into a campsite, with tents, vehicles, and even skating rinks. The daily lives of those living and working in the vicinity were deep- ly affected.
The Ottawa emergency switchboard was inundated with a flood of false 911 calls. A vast majority of these calls came from Ohio, so this was not a uniquely or solely Canadian issue.
One of the major criticisms of the Ottawa Police Service and Chief Sloly was that they were ineffective in dealing with this protest, specifically that they allowed the protest in the first place, and afterwards could not re- move protestors. The Ottawa Police Service has about 1,500 police service members. The protestors vastly outnumbered them. It was never going to be possible for this mu- nicipal police force to deal with the number of protestors that came and settled in the City of Ottawa.
A local resident brought a proposed class proceeding and was successful in obtain- ing an injunction on February 4 to stop some of the horn honking. It did not work effectively, since the police presence was too small to enforce it, but it was an exam- ple of the community taking matters into its own hands.
THE EMERGENCIES ACT AND THE INQUIRY
The Emergencies Act of Canada was enacted in 1988 to replace the War Measures Act. There are four kinds of emergencies under the Emergencies Act: International, war,
public welfare, and public order.
The Emergencies Act can only be invoked in the instance of a threat to the security of Canada, which takes its meaning from the
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