The Liberal government has failed to meet the deadline for its response to the findings and recommendations of Justice Paul Rouleau, who led a federal inquiry into the government’s utilization of the Emergencies Act in 2022. A year ago, Justice Rouleau released his final report on the government’s decision to declare a public order emergency during the Freedom Convoy protests. His report concluded that the government had been justified in invoking the act, but he made 56 recommendations for the future, including suggested amendments to the law itself. He had instructed the government to respond to these recommendations within 12 months, explaining which would be implemented and providing a timeline.
There were no penalties for missing Justice Rouleau’s deadline and the public safety minister’s office has stated that more information regarding the government’s response would be available soon. No explanation was offered by the minister’s office for missing the deadline. While the Federal Court ruling in January contradicted Justice Rouleau’s conclusions, the government invoked the Emergencies Act just over two years ago after demonstrators who opposed COVID-19 public health restrictions blocked streets and border crossings. The declaration granted the government significant powers and the subsequent investigation has been slowed by the arduous task of translating numerous documents. The Federal Court ruling has spurred calls for further investigation by members of parliament.