Protesters were eventually pushed out of the downtown core after the federal government took the never-before-used step of invoking the Emergencies Act. "I think it's important that we take some lessons from last winter," Mendicino said. "We'll continue to give [police] the tools and the support that is necessary to ensure that there's public safety as we celebrate Canada Day." "Other powers that were granted under the Emergencies Act were done with the benefit of the advice, which we proactively sought from law enforcement prior to invoking the Emergencies Act. "But I'll never apologize for doing what is necessary to protect Canadians, and invoking the Emergencies Act was the right thing to do."

Source: CBC News June 27, 2022 09:47 UTC