The federal government would do well to review the Charter Of Rights And Freedoms, a constitutional scholar said at an Ottawa conference meant to mark the 40th anniversary of the Charter’s proclamation..“The very notion of freedom is something that clearly not enough Canadians understand, neither in our government nor in the public square,” professor John Packer said of the Liberal government’s use of emergency police powers against the Freedom Convoy..“It is a good moment for us to reflect on this on the 40th anniversary of our Charter,” said Packer, who is director of the University of Ottawa Human Rights Research and Education Centre..“The notion of a right to protest absolutely does exist,” said Packer. “It is in the very core of human rights to rebel against excessive abuse of authority, and so forth, as a combination of a number of freedoms — freedom of association, freedom of assembly, freedom of expression, freedom of movement.”.According to Blacklock’s Reporter, Packer said that understanding the very notion of freedom is something that “clearly not enough Canadians understand,” adding that he welcomed a legal challenge of the Freedom Convoy case by the Canadian Civil Liberties Association. A hearing is pending in Federal Court..On February 14, the Liberal government invoked the Emergencies Act against truck drivers who blockaded the streets outside Parliament in protest of the vaccine mandates. The Act saw police compel banks to freeze accounts of convoy sympathizers, arrest 230 people, and outlaw any gathering deemed suspicious..Professor Packer said the use of the.Emergencies Act was a “political reaction” and not a measured response to a true national emergency. “I do think it is very problematical,” said Packer..“I actually welcome that it should be challenged,” he said. “The courts should have some opportunity to say something about it. I think that’s essential in our democracy.”.No other panellist observing the Charter’s anniversary would comment on the Liberal government’s use of the Emergencies Act. It was the first declaration of its kind since Parliament passed the Act in 1988..One panellist who spoke in support of the Charter dismissed his earlier criticism of Freedom Convoy truckers as “human slime” and “scum.” Fareed Khan, a spokesperson for the Facebook group Canadians United Against Hate, acknowledged his “harsh” criticism of truckers..“Despite the Charter, governments and politicians have repeatedly and knowingly violated the rights of Canadian communities and individuals,” said Khan. “As Canadians we must realize, to keep these rights, we must stand up in defence of them anytime they are threatened.”.Khan did not mention his earlier criticism of the convoy. In a series of Twitter and Facebook posts, Khan said MPs who supported protesters’ “need to be arrested,” the protest organizers “deserve to spend years in jail” — though none have been convicted of any Criminal Code offence — and that any public employee who donated money to the convoy must be fired..Matthew Horwood is the Parliamentary Bureau Chief of the Western Standard.mhorwood@westernstandard.news.Twitter.com/@Matt_HorwoodWS
The federal government would do well to review the Charter Of Rights And Freedoms, a constitutional scholar said at an Ottawa conference meant to mark the 40th anniversary of the Charter’s proclamation..“The very notion of freedom is something that clearly not enough Canadians understand, neither in our government nor in the public square,” professor John Packer said of the Liberal government’s use of emergency police powers against the Freedom Convoy..“It is a good moment for us to reflect on this on the 40th anniversary of our Charter,” said Packer, who is director of the University of Ottawa Human Rights Research and Education Centre..“The notion of a right to protest absolutely does exist,” said Packer. “It is in the very core of human rights to rebel against excessive abuse of authority, and so forth, as a combination of a number of freedoms — freedom of association, freedom of assembly, freedom of expression, freedom of movement.”.According to Blacklock’s Reporter, Packer said that understanding the very notion of freedom is something that “clearly not enough Canadians understand,” adding that he welcomed a legal challenge of the Freedom Convoy case by the Canadian Civil Liberties Association. A hearing is pending in Federal Court..On February 14, the Liberal government invoked the Emergencies Act against truck drivers who blockaded the streets outside Parliament in protest of the vaccine mandates. The Act saw police compel banks to freeze accounts of convoy sympathizers, arrest 230 people, and outlaw any gathering deemed suspicious..Professor Packer said the use of the.Emergencies Act was a “political reaction” and not a measured response to a true national emergency. “I do think it is very problematical,” said Packer..“I actually welcome that it should be challenged,” he said. “The courts should have some opportunity to say something about it. I think that’s essential in our democracy.”.No other panellist observing the Charter’s anniversary would comment on the Liberal government’s use of the Emergencies Act. It was the first declaration of its kind since Parliament passed the Act in 1988..One panellist who spoke in support of the Charter dismissed his earlier criticism of Freedom Convoy truckers as “human slime” and “scum.” Fareed Khan, a spokesperson for the Facebook group Canadians United Against Hate, acknowledged his “harsh” criticism of truckers..“Despite the Charter, governments and politicians have repeatedly and knowingly violated the rights of Canadian communities and individuals,” said Khan. “As Canadians we must realize, to keep these rights, we must stand up in defence of them anytime they are threatened.”.Khan did not mention his earlier criticism of the convoy. In a series of Twitter and Facebook posts, Khan said MPs who supported protesters’ “need to be arrested,” the protest organizers “deserve to spend years in jail” — though none have been convicted of any Criminal Code offence — and that any public employee who donated money to the convoy must be fired..Matthew Horwood is the Parliamentary Bureau Chief of the Western Standard.mhorwood@westernstandard.news.Twitter.com/@Matt_HorwoodWS