Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced on April 25, 2022 the establishment of the Public Order Emergency Commission. The commission is an independent public inquiry, following the invocation of the Emergencies Act in February, in response to the blockades and occupations across the country.
The Prime Minister also announced the appointment of the Honourable Paul S. Rouleau, a justice of the Ontario Court of Appeal, as the Commissioner, stating that “ensuring the safety and security of everyone in Canada and protecting our economy are top priorities. [Rouleau] will look into the circumstances that led to the Emergencies Act being invoked and make recommendations to prevent these events from happening again.”
Justice Rouleau received his Bachelor of Administration in 1974 and his LL.B in 1977, both from the University of Ottawa. He was appointed as a Justice of the Superior Court of Ontario in 2002, and to the Court of Appeal for Ontario in 2005.
He was a founding member of the Association des juristes d’expression française de l’Ontario – a francophone legal community and center of expertise in the province – and was its President from 1985 to 1987. In 2005, he was inducted into the Common Law Honour Society.
From the Prime Minister of Canada’s news release:
The Government of Canada’s top priority remains keeping Canadians safe, while protecting jobs, trade, and our economy.
On February 14, 2022, the Honourable David Lametti, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, with the support of the Honourable Marco E.L. Mendicino, Minister of Public Safety, and the Honourable Bill Blair, President of the Queen’s Privy Council for Canada and Minister of Emergency Preparedness, announced the declaration of a public order emergency under the Emergencies Act, to end disruptions, border blockades, and the occupation of Ottawa’s downtown core. The declaration was revoked on February 23, 2022.
The Emergencies Act requires that a commission be convened within 60 days and its report tabled in Parliament within 360 days of the revocation of the declaration of a public order emergency. The Commission must examine the circumstances that led to the declaration being issued and the measures taken for dealing with the emergency.
The Commission will examine the circumstances that led to the declaration being issued and the measures taken in response to the emergency. This includes the evolution of the convoy, the impact of funding and disinformation, the economic impact, and efforts of police and other responders prior to and after the declaration.