Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre said that he hopes courts will uphold the Charter of Rights and Freedoms regarding Canadians who had their constitutional rights violated for participating in the Freedom Convoy protest in 2022.
The almost three-week protest was in response to the federal government’s Covid-19 mandates and travel restrictions.
Last month, the Federal Court ruled that the Emergencies Act measures invoked by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau were unconstitutional and unreasonable, based on a judicial review launched by the Canadian Constitution Foundation.
The ruling prompted several of the demonstration’s organizers including Tamara Lich, Chris Barber, Tom Marrazzo and Danny Bulford to sue the Trudeau government for damages.
“Sec. 24 of our Charter of Rights and Freedoms gives Canadians the right to sue their government for damages when Charter rights are violated. Doing so affirms the seriousness of respecting Charter rights and is intended to deter future governments from breaching Canadians’ fundamental rights. The lawsuits seek $2 million in damages,” wrote lawyer Keith Wilson on X, who is representing the organizers in the case.
Poilievre held a press conference in Pointe-Claire, Que. Thursday to address Canada’s housing crisis.
Once the floor was open to questions from reporters, True North asked Poilievre what recourse Canadians should have going forward, if they had their rights violated by the government.
“Well the courts should decide that and I hope the Charter of Rights (and Freedoms) is upheld,” responded Poilievre.
“Justin Trudeau divided the country. He provoked the crisis. He’s now been found to have violated the constitution. He did it without any scientific evidence. It was another example of how Justin Trudeau only has two principles; one is that the government should control everybody and two that he should control the government,” added Poilievre.
“The only way he keeps this control in light of the misery that he has unleashed, doubling housing costs, quadrupling carbon taxes, is by cracking down on the population and dividing people against each other.”
The opposition leader went on to say that his administration would take the opposite approach if elected.
“I will do the exact opposite. I will empower the people from the bottom up. I will unite for freedom, rather than divide and conquer,” said Poilievre.
