Trudeau to use rare emergency powers in attempt to quell protests - reports

The Canadian prime minister, Justin Trudeau, will invoke a rare emergency law to give the federal government immense powers as he attempts to quell protests that have plunged the country into a protracted crisis.

Trudeau is expected to invoke the Emergencies Act on Monday morning, according to multiple Canadian media outlets, the first time the legislation has been used.

Also on Monday, Ontario announced it would accelerate dropping its coronavirus restrictions, becoming the latest province to dramatically scale back public health measures meant to blunt the Omicron wave.

Protests over those public health restrictions have for weeks paralysed the nation's capital, halted trade and raised broader questions over the ability for police to enforce existing laws.

In an indication of the deteriorating situation, Trudeau met with both his cabinet and provincial premiers on Monday morning, where he reportedly told them he would use the Emergencies Act. The law gives the government broad powers for 30 days, but Trudeau is not expected to call in the military.

The law defines an emergency as a situation that "seriously endangers the lives, health or safety of Canadians and is of such proportions or nature as to exceed the capacity or authority of a province to deal with it". In order for the law to be used, the federal government must consult with both the provinces and cabinet. There must be a belief the protesters constitute a national emergency and cannot be dealt with under existing laws.

The current law replaced the War Measures Act which was used by Trudeau's father Pierre Elliott Trudeau, who was prime minister during the "October crisis" - a period of separatist violence in Quebec, in 1970.