Liberals defending sweeping temporary powers now afforded to police under the Emergencies Act, as Conservatives question the unprecedented move

The federal Liberals are defending the sweeping temporary powers now afforded to police under the Emergencies Act, but the Conservatives are denouncing the unprecedented move.

During question period in the House of Commons, Conservative M-P Michelle Rempel Garner noted that the legislation has not been used for any previous crisis.

She says it wasn't used to settle the rail blockades of 2020, the Oka crisis in Quebec, the standoff in Caledonia or any other dispute in Canadian history.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau invoked the act on Monday, as protesters blockaded several border crossings and used large trucks to cause gridlock in downtown Ottawa.

All of the border closures have now ended.