The Emergencies Act Has Been Invoked & Alberta's Premier Has Some Thoughts About It

Alberta Premier Jason Kenney has responded to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's decision to invoke the Emergencies Act in Canada.

Trudeau announced that he was invoking the act on Monday in response to the ongoing protests across Canada involving the Freedom Convoy.

Alberta RCMP have also been dealing with protests at the Coutts border crossing with the U.S. and arrested 11 people after they received information about a large quantity of ammunition and firearms.

However, in a live address to the province on Monday, Kenney said that the Emergencies Act is "not necessary" in Alberta and that some people could be "further inflamed" by this type of intervention.

He said: "Wehaveallofthenecessarystatutorypowersandoperationalcapacityforenforcementnowthat the RCMP has resolvedthemilitant cell,whichcouldpotentially have resultedinviolence.

"So,wehavenowobtainedthenecessaryequipment,andwehaveverystronglawsinAlbertaalready, inasense,inastrangesense,weanticipateasituationlikethis,becausetheAlberta Critical Infrastructure Defence Act givesussanctionsthatarequitesimilartothecourtinjunction obtainedbyOntariotodealwithWindsorlastweek."

Kenney said that the province has the legal powers it currently needs to deal with protests, adding: "Ithinkatthispointforthefederalgovernmenttoreachinovertopofuswithoutofferinganythinginparticularwouldfranklybeunhelpful.Ithinkweneedtofindwaystoeffectivelyenforcewithoutescalatingthesituation.

"Iamconcernedthatthere'sacertainkindofpersonwho — ifthefederalgovernment doesproceedwiththis,whowillbefurtherinflamed,andthatcouldleadtoaprolongationofsomeoftheseprotests.SoIthinkthatonthebalance, prudencedictatesthat,atleasthereinAlberta,wegivesupporttolawenforcementtogetthejobdone."