The events of the last three weeks represent the failure of all three levels of our government. They all responded too late. But, Tom Walkom writes, the Trudeau government had no choice. They had to invoke the Emergencies Act:
If Canada was to protect its sovereignty, it had to adopt drastic measures.
Much attention is being paid to the long-running occupation of downtown Ottawa. But the border blockades in places such as Windsor and Fort Erie are much more important.
These have threatened Canada’s ability to protect its own borders.
Leaving the decision on enforcing border laws to private citizens is to surrender Canada’s sovereignty over such laws. And ultimately those surrendered powers will be picked up by whatever government along the border is left standing — which in most cases means the U.S. government.
In short, if Canada is to present itself as a power along the U.S. border, it will have to demonstrate to Washington its ability to exercise control over cross-border trucking.
Invoking the Emergencies Act is an effective way to make that point. It leaves no question as to who is in charge.
The threat comes from inside the country. But it's clear its inspiration -- and much of its support -- comes from south of the border:
The convoy protesters do include people with backgrounds in hard-right politics.
It has been reported that some of the funding for the protests comes from Americans.
The border blockades are gone. This morning, police are moving in on the blockade in Ottawa.
What's really important is that implementation of the Emergencies Act works.
Image: The Toronto Star
