Convoy plans to replace Canada's elected government the stuff of fantasy
Canada Unity doesn’t want a violent overthrow of the Trudeau administration, they are looking for help from the Senate and Governor General.
Author of the article:Brian Lilley
Publishing date:Jan 28, 2022 • 14 hours ago • 2 minute read • 97 Comments
Supporters of truckers protesting the Canadian government’s vaccine mandate for cross-border truckers gather on the Dilworth Road Highway 416 overpass as the convoy makes its way to Ottawa on Friday, Jan. 28, 2022.
Supporters of truckers protesting the Canadian government’s vaccine mandate for cross-border truckers gather on the Dilworth Road Highway 416 overpass as the convoy makes its way to Ottawa on Friday, Jan. 28, 2022. PHOTO BY ERROL MCGIHON /Postmedia
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One of the groups organizing people to join the convoy headed to Ottawa wants more than just an end to vaccine mandates, they want an end to the current government.
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The organization calling itself Canada Unity doesn’t want a violent overthrow of the Trudeau administration, they are actually looking for help from the Senate and Governor General.
A document posted on the group’s website entitled the “Memorandum of Understanding” seeks an agreement with Canada Unity representing the people of Canada, the Senate represented by speaker George Furey, and Governor General Mary Simon. Some things the document does not mention include Parliament, the elected House of Commons, cabinet or Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
The agreement states clearly that “the purpose of achieving the various aims and objectives relating to the no mandatory vaccine, no vaccine passport, no discrimination, no fine regulations/programs and no segregation initiatives et al on Private and Government bodies, institutions et al citizens and people and or entities.”
There is nothing in Canadian law that would allow such an agreement to override the duly elected government represented in the Commons. That doesn’t appear to raise cause for concern for the people behind Canada Unity, who refer to the Senate and Governor General as “the highest authorities representing the Federal Government.”
It’s also not clear which powers Canada Unity believes would be used to stop private organizations, such as employers, from mandating a vaccine requirement. Employers such as hospitals have imposed vaccine mandates for their workers, and so far those mandates have been upheld during court challenges.
Another portion of the agreement goes as far as ordering that provincial, territorial and municipal governments “stop all such unlawful activities.” The unlawful activities appear to include anything relating to vaccine mandates or passports.
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While the Constitution does allow the federal government to disallow provincial and territorial legislation within certain limits, that power has not been used since 1943. As for municipal governments and their regulations, municipalities are considered creatures of the provinces and generally off limits to the federal government.
All of that said, the entire proposed usurping of power that is part of this Memorandum of Understanding is well outside of Canada’s laws and constitution. Regardless of how many sign petitions supporting it, this framework won’t be taking power away from the Commons anytime soon.
blilley@postmedia.com
Canada Unity doesn’t want a violent overthrow of the Trudeau administration, they are looking for help from the Senate and Governor General.
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