We’re entering the third week of illegal blockades that have been disrupting the lives of too many Canadians.

Here in our capital city, families and small businesses have been enduring illegal obstruction of their neighbourhoods.

Occupying streets, harassing people, breaking the law: this is not a peaceful protest.

At the borders in different places in the country, the blockades are harming our economy and endangering public safety.

Critical supply chains have been disrupted.

This is hurting workers who rely on these jobs to feed their families.

Yesterday, the Ambassador Bridge was reopened between Windsor and Detroit.

Our team and I have been working with Ontario and the city of Windsor around the clock.

Want to thank officers on the ground, including the RCMP, who played an active role.

We now have a responsibility to make sure the bridge remains open.

With each illegal blockade, local law enforcement agencies have been acting to keep the peace within their jurisdiction.

Despite their best efforts, it is now clear that there are serious challenges to law enforcements’ ability to effectively enforce the law.

On Friday, Ontario invoked a state of emergency to respond to the blockades – this was the responsible and necessary thing to do.

Today, to continue building on these efforts, the federal government is ready to use more tools at its disposal to get the situation fully under control.

After discussions with Cabinet and caucus.

After consultation with premiers from all provinces and territories.

And after speaking with opposition leaders.

The federal government invoked the Emergencies Act to supplement Provincial and Territorial capacity to address the blockades and occupations.

I want to be very clear: the scope of these measures will be time-limited, geographically targeted, as well as reasonable and proportionate to the threats they are meant to address.

The Emergencies Act will be used to strengthen and support law enforcement agencies at all levels across the country.

This is about keeping Canadians safe, protecting people’s jobs and restoring confidence in our institutions.

Here’s how the measures we’re taking today will help get the situation under control.

The police will be given more tools to restore order in places where public assemblies constitute illegal and dangerous activities, such as blockades and occupations, as seen in Ottawa, the Ambassador Bridge, and elsewhere.

These tools include strengthening their ability to impose fines or imprisonment.

The government will designate, secure and protect places and infrastructure that are critical to our economy and people’s jobs, including border crossings or airports.

We cannot and will not allow illegal and dangerous activities to continue.

The Emergencies Act will also allow the government to make sure essential services are rendered, for example, in order to tow vehicles blocking roads.

In addition, financial institutions will be authorized or directed to render essential services to help address the situation, including by regulating and prohibiting the use of property to fund or support illegal blockades.

Finally, it will enable the RCMP to enforce municipal by-laws and provincial offences where required.

That is what the Emergencies Act does.

Let me be equally clear about what it does not do.

We are not using the Emergencies Act to call in the military.

We are not suspending fundamental rights or overriding the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

We are not limiting people’s freedom of speech.

We are not limiting freedom of peaceful assembly.

We are not preventing people from exercising their right to protest legally.

We are reinforcing the principles, values, and institutions that keep all Canadians free.

The Emergencies Act is not something that’s been used ever, but it exists for a reason.

Invoking the Emergencies Act is never the first thing government should do, or even the second.

The Act is to be used sparingly, as a last resort.

Right now, the situation requires additional tools not held by any other federal, provincial or territorial law.

Today, in these circumstances, it is now clear that responsible leadership requires us to do this.

These measures must be, and will be, compliant with our Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

Indeed, the Emergencies Act was created in the eighties to flow from, and uphold, the Charter.

We’ll always defend the rights of Canadians to peaceful assembly, and to freedom of expression.

But these blockades are illegal, and if you’re still participating, it’s time to go home now.

On a separate track from the Emergencies Act, I want to reassure people that the Canadian Border Services Agency is already turning back non-Canadians trying to enter Canada to participle in blockades.

Of course, while we get the situation under control, we’ll continue to have Canadians’ backs.

I want to remind affected businesses that, if you’re facing revenue losses, support is available through our wage and rent subsidy programs.

We know that downtown Ottawa businesses in particular have been hard hit by these illegal activities.

In the coming days, we’ll be launching specific support for these businesses.

I know that everyone is tired of the pandemic.

We’re hearing your frustration with COVID, and with the temporary measures we had to put forward to keep people safe.

I know people are frustrated, I hear it.

You have the right to express that frustration, and even your anger with the government.

It’s something we’ll always defend in this free and democratic country.

But blockading streets and critical infrastructures, and depriving your neighbours of their freedoms is a totally different thing.

It has to stop.