Trudeau ends emergency powers invoked to quell trucker protest

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Wednesday that he is revoking the emergency powers he invoked earlier this month to quell protests against the country's COVID-19 public health restrictions.

What he's saying: “Today, after careful consideration, we’re ready to confirm that the situation is no longer an emergency,” Trudeau said at a press conference. “Therefore, the federal government will be ending the use of the Emergencies Act."

• "We are confident that existing laws and bylaws are now sufficient to keep people safe.”

The big picture: The decision to end the use of emergency powers comes after Ottawa authorities effectively ended a weekslong blockade over the weekend, arresting over 100 people participating in a protest in the capital.

• "We did not want to keep this legislation in place one minute longer than necessary," Trudeau said during the briefing, though he observed that the protests have not ended completely.

Background: The protests began as opposition to a COVID-19 vaccine mandate for truckers, but since expanded to include general opposition to public health restrictions and spread to other provinces, with protesters blocking several U.S.-Canada border crossings.

• Trudeau invoked Canada's Emergencies Act on Feb. 14 to quell the protests, and lawmakers on Monday night voted to extend the emergency powers.