Â鶹ӰÊÓ

Skip to main content

Emergencies Act inquiry will be delayed until October due to commissioner's illness

Share
OTTAWA -

The inquiry into Ottawa's unprecedented use of the Emergencies Act during protests last winter will be delayed until October because of a health issue.

The Public Order Emergency Commission was to begin hearings Sept. 19 but will be delayed now until Oct. 13, a statement from the commission said Friday.

Six weeks have been scheduled for the hearings so they will now finish on Nov. 25. The commission has until mid-February to deliver its report.

The delay comes because commissioner Paul Rouleau is undergoing surgery.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau invoked the Emergencies Act in February amid border blockades and the occupation of downtown Ottawa by protesters demonstrating against the Trudeau government and COVID-19 vaccine mandates.

There is a legal requirement to create a public review commission to look into the decision to use the Emergencies Act. A parliamentary committee is also separately conducting its own study on why the act was invoked.

Police forces, organizers of the "Freedom Convoy" and all three levels of government are expected to testify at the hearings. Parties with standing at the commission were told about the delay Friday afternoon.

Roleau said in a statement he was committed to completing the commission's work in a "timely manner."

"Commission staff, with the co-operation of all parties, has made significant progress over the past several weeks in obtaining and reviewing documents, conducting interviews, and preparing for the start of public hearings."

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 2, 2022.

IN DEPTH

Opinion

opinion

opinion Don Martin: Gusher of Liberal spending won't put out the fire in this dumpster

A Hail Mary rehash of the greatest hits from the Trudeau government’s three-week travelling pony-show, the 2024 federal budget takes aim at reversing the party’s popularity plunge in the under-40 set, writes political columnist Don Martin. But will it work before the next election?

opinion

opinion Don Martin: How a beer break may have doomed the carbon tax hike

When the Liberal government chopped a planned beer excise tax hike to two per cent from 4.5 per cent and froze future increases until after the next election, says political columnist Don Martin, it almost guaranteed a similar carbon tax move in the offing.

CTVNews.ca Top Stories

The British Columbia election campaign is set to officially start today, with Lt.-Gov. Janet Austin issuing the writ for the Oct. 19 vote.

A northern Ontario man is facing a $12,000 fine after illegally shooting a moose near the Batchawan River.

Local Spotlight

Cole Haas is more than just an avid fan of the F.W. Johnson Wildcats football team. He's a fixture on the sidelines, a source of encouragement, and a beloved member of the team.

Getting a photograph of a rainbow? Common. Getting a photo of a lightning strike? Rare. Getting a photo of both at the same time? Extremely rare, but it happened to a Manitoba photographer this week.

An anonymous business owner paid off the mortgage for a New Brunswick not-for-profit.

They say a dog is a man’s best friend. In the case of Darren Cropper, from Bonfield, Ont., his three-year-old Siberian husky and golden retriever mix named Bear literally saved his life.

A growing group of brides and wedding photographers from across the province say they have been taken for tens of thousands of dollars by a Barrie, Ont. wedding photographer.

Paleontologists from the Royal B.C. Museum have uncovered "a trove of extraordinary fossils" high in the mountains of northern B.C., the museum announced Thursday.

The search for a missing ancient 28-year-old chocolate donkey ended with a tragic discovery Wednesday.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police is celebrating an important milestone in the organization's history: 50 years since the first women joined the force.

It's been a whirlwind of joyful events for a northern Ontario couple who just welcomed a baby into their family and won the $70 million Lotto Max jackpot last month.

Stay Connected