From WSJopinion: Canada’s Covid restrictions themselves were draconian by Western standards and went on months longer even than in the U.S. But at least democratic leaders can be held to account, writes michaeltaube.
Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks during Question Period in the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Canada Nov. 29.The Chinese Communist Party vowed Tuesday that it will “resolutely crack down on illegal and criminal acts that disrupt social order”—a reference to widespread protests against the party’s draconian zero-Covid policies.
Many Canadians thought this was an excessive response to protests that were disruptive but nonviolent. On April 25, Mr. Trudeau announced a commission of inquiry into the use of the Emergencies Act, led by Justice Paul Rouleau of the Ontario Court of Appeal. Last week Mr. Trudeau, Ms. Freeland and other leaders testified before the commission. Justice Rouleau, who worked for the Liberal Party before joining the bench, will report his findings to Parliament in February.
Text messages between Justice Minister David Lametti and Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino revealed a certain arrogance. Mr. Lametti described then Ottawa Police Chief Peter Sloly as “incompetent” in one text, and said in another that Mr. Sloly needs to be “quick quick quick” to handle issues. Mr. Lametti also texted Mr. Mendicino that “people are looking to us/you for leadership. And not stupid people.
Ms. Freeland and Mr. Trudeau both defended the use of the act. “Our security as a country is built on our economic security,” Ms. Freeland testified on Nov. 24 when asked about the blockade of the Ambassador Bridge between Windsor, Ontario, and Detroit. Of her decision to freeze some 280 bank accounts holding around 8 million Canadian dollars , she said, “I would have preferred not to have had to do this.
He quickly equivocated, offering an example of a protest he’d support: “If you’re out protesting that the government is shutting down a safe injection site or something, you are asking for changes in public policy. But there is a difference between occupations and saying, ‘We’re not going until this has changed’ in a way that is massively disruptive and potentially dangerous.” The prime minister himself joined a June 2020 Black Lives Matter demonstration in Ottawa.
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