Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., denounced the actions of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau Sunday after he invoked the Emergencies Act.
Justin Trudeau recently invoked the Emergencies Act to end the trucker convoy protests in Canada. Rand Paul has labeled the use of the Emergencies Act as “dangerous.”
According to the CBC, the Emergencies Act defines a national emergency in Canada as a temporary “urgent and critical situation” which “seriously endangers the lives, health or safety of Canadians and is of such proportions or nature as to exceed the capacity or authority of a province to deal with it.”
The Emergencies Act gives law enforcement power to implement additional measures to force the Canadian protests to end.
When Trudeau announced he would be invoking the Emergencies Act, he said, “This is about keeping Canadians safe, protecting people’s jobs, and restoring confidence in our institutions.”
Trudeau’s critics have been quick to point out the negative implications of the Emergencies Act. After Trudeau’s announcement, the Canadian police in Ottawa utilized horses to dispel protestors and even trampled an older woman.
Additionally, Canadians who supported the trucker convoy could have their bank accounts frozen, truckers could have their vehicle insurance suspended, and the government has threatened to fine and imprison protestors.
Rand Paul believes Trudeau’s actions are a mistake. In a Based Politics podcast episode released Sunday, he stated, “I think statutes that allow presidents or heads of state to invoke emergencies are very, very dangerous.” He added, “We have the same sort of statutes here, and I have long-time been an opponent of these. We actually have in the United States an Emergency Act that allows the president to shut down the internet.”
Paul expressed grave concern for what could happen in Canada with Trudeau having additional powers. He said, “The emergency edict that Trudeau has done in Canada allows him to do some horrendous things, allows him to stop travel, allows him to detain people without trial. Now we don’t know that he’s going to do that, but it is very, very worrisome what he might do.”
Previously, Paul tweeted his disapproval for Canada’s actions against peaceful protestors, saying, “When Canada became Egypt . . . ruled by emergency edict that allows prohibition of public assembly, travel, and the commandeering of private companies without your day in court.”
RSBN has previously reported the pro-freedom protesters in Canada’s trucker convoy have remained peaceful, which has led many to question law enforcement’s seemingly extreme measures to punish those participating in patriotic protests.
As the United States prepares to face a trucker convoy similar to Canada’s, Americans will see if the Biden administration will follow Trudeau’s authoritarian response to peaceful protests.