Justice Minister Lametti cites solicitor-client privilege on Liberals' reasons for Emergencies Act
That leaves a key question unanswered: Weeks into last winter's “Freedom Convoy” protests, what legal advice did the federal government rely on to invoke the act for the first time since its passage in 1988?
Lametti testified that he did so because he knew if the government decided the act was needed, there would have to be consultation and discussions about whether the standards had been met - and he wanted the Department of Justice to prepare for the possibility. The inquiry also heard that the justice minister also mused early in the crisis about possibly sending in the Canadian Armed Forces, and dismissed former Ottawa police chief Peter Sloly as being “incompetent” in handling the situation.
Even before Lametti began his testimony, government lawyer Andrea Gonsalves had told the commission that the Liberal government would not waive its right to solicitor-client privilege, which protects legal advice from being publicly revealed. The documents submitted into evidence include private text message conversations between ministers. On Wednesday, the commission was shown a text exchange between Lametti and Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino on Feb. 2.
South Africa Latest News, South Africa Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Ryan Alford: David Lametti must explain why he didn't resign over bad Emergencies Act adviceWhen confronted with a blatantly partisan attempt to change the plain meaning of federal legislation , Lametti did not do his duty
Read more »
Federal ministers Lametti, Anand to testify at Emergencies Act inquiry - National | Globalnews.caTransport Minister Omar Alghabra is also on the witness list as the inquiry digs into Ottawa's decision to invoke the Emergencies Act in response to the 'Freedom Convoy' protests.
Read more »
David Lametti, Anita Anand, Omar Alghabra set to appear at the Emergencies Act inquiryThe three federal cabinet ministers are set to appear Wednesday at the inquiry.
Read more »
Lametti began preparing for use of Emergencies Act several days into convoy’s arrival - Terrace StandardA public inquiry into the federal government’s use of the Emergencies Act during the “Freedom Convoy” protests has learned that Justice Minister David Lametti raised the idea of using the legislation several days after the protests began in Ottawa.
Read more »
John Ivison: CSIS director's elastic interpretation of Emergencies Act puts Trudeau on firmer groundCSIS director seems to have accepted a rather elastic interpretation of the legislation. It remains to be seen whether the inquiry agrees.
Read more »
Emergencies Act necessary as ‘Freedom Convoy’ blockades threatened Canada’s reputation: BlairOttawa needed the Emergencies Act to clear blockades to protect Canada’s reputation, said Emergency Preparedness Minister Bill Blair. The blockade “elevated the threat level of the convoy to a national security threat,” he argued.
Read more »