Conservative leadership candidate Pierre Poilievre is demanding that Minister of Public Safety Marco Mendicino resign for "making false statements to Canadians" and creating a fake excuse to invoke the Emergencies Act..“It’s crystal clear that the minister made false statements in the House of Commons — and it wasn’t just about something trivial,” said Poilievre.."He wanted to give Trudeau cover to invoke the Emergencies Act, freeze people’s bank accounts, and trample on civil liberties.”.Mendicino repeatedly claimed the federal government invoked the Emergencies Act in response to the Freedom Convoy demonstrations following advice from law enforcement.."We saw borders shut, we saw Canadians laid off, we saw our communities and our neighbours in danger," Mendicino said on February 28. "That is the reason why we had to invoke the Emergencies Act, and we did so on the basis of non-partisan, professional advice from law enforcement."."It was on the advice of law enforcement that we invoked the Emergencies Act. It was necessary and it worked," Mendicino said in the House of Commons on April 28.."At the recommendation of police, we invoked the Emergencies Act to protect Canadians," he said on May 2..But on May 11, RCMP Commissioner Brend Lucki said there was "never a question" of requesting the Emergencies Act. Former Ottawa Police Chief Peter Sloly said the same on June 2. .“I did not make that request, I’m not aware of anybody else in the Ottawa Police Service who did.” .Then on Tuesday, Deputy Minister of Public Safety Rob Stewart said there was a "misunderstanding of the minister’s words.”.“I believe that the intention that he was trying to express was that law enforcement asked for the tools that were contained in the Emergencies Act,” Stewart said..Poilievre said Mendicino made "false statements" and needed to resign..“The minister made false statements. If he messed up, then he’s incompetent. If he lied, then he’s dishonest. Either way, he can’t keep this important job”.
