On Monday, Canada's parliament endorsed Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's decision to employ rarely-used emergency powers to put a stop to pandemic-related protests that have paralyzed the nation's capital for more than three weeks.
The measure was approved with 185 votes in favor and 151 votes against. The minority Liberal administration received critical parliamentary backing from the left-leaning New Democrats.
Police cleared the final protest location in Ottawa over the weekend, which was located in the streets surrounding Parliament Hill. Trudeau declared an emergency last week, invoking the Emergencies Act.
Canadian police restored normalcy in Ottawa over the weekend.
The demonstrators initially sought an end to mandatory cross-border COVID-19 vaccination for truck drivers, but the occupation evolved into a broader protest against Trudeau and his government.
For six days, protesters snarled traffic at the busiest land crossing between Canada and the United States.
Special measures recently announced by the Prime Minister have been judged unnecessary and an abuse of power by certain opposition politicians.
Trudeau previously told reporters on Monday that his government still required temporary emergency powers, citing "serious worries" about imminent threats.
"This state of emergency has not been declared over. There are legitimate anxieties about the days ahead," he stated.
Conservative Party members - the official opposition - and members of the Bloc Quebecois voted against the move to repeal the Emergencies Act.
The never-before-used Emergencies Act of 1988 vests the government with additional authority during times of national catastrophe. These are non-renewable after 30 days.
Over the last week, it has been used to impose bans on public assembly in certain sections of Ottawa and to bar travel to protest zones, including by foreign nationals. Additionally, it empowers authorities to freeze bank accounts.
Declaring a public welfare emergency enables the government to regulate the delivery of necessary products, define what constitutes vital services, and levy fines for violators of the act.
It establishes a procedure for compensating persons who suffer damages as a result of its application.
Mike Morrice, a Green Party member who voted against the motion, said activating the act was an "inappropriate" response to a policing failure.
"As numerous other Members of Parliament have stated, the use of the Emergencies Act establishes an alarming precedent for future protests," he warned.
The demonstration began in January with a truck convoy traveling to Ottawa to challenge a vaccine mandate for truckers crossing the U.S.-Canada border.
It quickly evolved into a broader resistance to pandemic restrictions and Trudeau's government, with supportive protests taking place across the country.
