A lawsuit has been filed against the government of Canada, financial institutions, police and other actors in connection with the “improper use” of the Emergencies Act, which was implemented against the population in 2022. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is among the defendants.
In January, a federal court in Canada ruled that the government’s declaration of martial law was unreasonable and violated the Constitution and freedom of expression. However, the government responded that it would appeal the decision because it believed it was the right thing to do at the time to stop the protests, which it considered “a serious threat to public safety”.
A new application to use the law has now been filed with the Ontario Superior Court in Ottawa. It is backed by twenty individuals and companies who believe they have been “subjected to the unreasonable use of the Emergencies Act”.
“A democracy is only as strong as its commitment to the rule of law, and when a government decides that it’s not bound by the law of Canada, the resulting unlawful action not only breaks the law, it undermines and degrades the very democracy that put the government in power in the first place”, reads a press release from law firm Loberg Ector, according to Canadian newspaper The Star.
It also seeks a “declaration that the defendants acted in panic, political spite, and with the intention of punishing and intimidating citizens of Canada”.
Prime Minister Trudeau is a defendant in the lawsuit, along with several other ministers. The six major banks are also included because they helped freeze assets during the imposition of martial law.