Canada

Public Order Emergency Commission: findings and what happened next

The federal government's invocation of the Emergencies Act on 14 February 2022 in response to protests and blockades in Ottawa and at border crossings.

Country

Canada

Type

commission of inquiry

Established

25 April 2022

Chaired by

Paul Rouleau

Report published

17 February 2023

Recommendations

56

What the inquiry found

1. The commission concluded that the government had met "the very high legal standard" for invoking the Emergencies Act.³
2. The commission's report was released on 17 February 2023, and the government had established the commission on 25 April 2022.¹

Key recommendations

• The final report made 56 recommendations, set out in a consolidated list in Volume 1. Many fall within the jurisdiction of provinces, territories or Indigenous governments.^4,1

What happened next

• January 2024The Federal Court, through Justice Mosley, ruled that the invocation was unreasonable and that some measures infringed sections 2(b) and 8 of the Charter.^2,3
• 6 March 2024The federal government published its response to the 56 recommendations, agreeing with or committing to study many, and saying it would not respond to recommendations directed to Ontario.⁴
• 16 January 2026The Federal Court of Appeal dismissed the Attorney General's appeals in 2026 FCA 6, holding the invocation unreasonable and beyond the government's authority.²
• 22 October 2026The Supreme Court of Canada agreed to hear the federal government's appeal.³

Read the report: publicorderemergencycommission.ca/final-report/

Sources

1. Public Order Emergency Commission, Final Report (17 February 2023)
2. Federal Court of Appeal, Plain language decision summary, 2026 FCA 6 (16 January 2026)
3. CP24 (The Canadian Press), Supreme Court to hear federal appeal over use of Emergencies Act (22 October 2026)
4. Public Safety Canada, Government of Canada Response to the Public Order Emergency Commission Recommendations (6 March 2024)