Emergencies Act

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Minister Mendicino oversaw the first ever invocation of the Emergencies Act in response to the 2022 Freedom Convoy protests in February 2022.^[13] Scrutiny from media and opposition followed regarding whether the use of the Act was necessary.

Media questioned whether law enforcement asked for the Act's use. This question stems from testimony on 26 April before the DEDC committee, in which he noted in response to a question from Bloc Quebecois MP Rheal Fortin that the government "invoked the act because it was the advice of non-partisan professional law enforcement that the existing authorities were ineffective at the time to restore public safety."^[14][15] In response to questions from Liberal MP Rachel Bendayan he said:^[16]

We invoked the act because it was the advice of non-partisan professional law enforcement that existing authorities were ineffective at the time to restore public safety at all of the ports of entry you mentioned.

Mendicino then addressed the media's questions surrounding cabinet confidence, and whether this provision would be lifted for the purposes of the public inquiry that is written into the Emergencies Act, called the Rouleau inquiry.^[17]

On April 27, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told the House of Commons that "police were clear that they needed tools not held by any federal, provincial or territorial law."^[18]

On 19 May 2022 Shadow Minister of Emergency Preparedness Dane Lloyd asked Mendicino about the need for the invocation of the Emergencies Act and elicited the comment that the latter "stands by previous statements that the federal government invoked the Emergencies Act on the recommendation of law enforcement officials."^[19]

On 11 May 2022 RCMP Commissioner Brenda Lucki stated under oath to the DEDC committee that "while her agency was consulted, it never requested nor recommended the [Emergency Act]'s use".^[20] On 17 May the interim Ottawa police chief Steve Bell testified at PROC committee that he did not request the invocation of the Emergencies Act from the government.^{[21][14][22][23]} Another police service that was involved in the Freedom Convoy protests was the Ontario Provincial Police, and testimony on 24 March before the SECU committee from its commissioner Thomas Carrique led many to believe that Carrique made the request,^[24][25] Mendicino clarified in testimony given to the SECU committee on 17 May when he prevaricated.^[26]

Mendicino's Deputy Minister answered questions before the DEDC committee on 8 June, in which he testified that the minister "was misunderstood",^[18] and on 14 June the Official Opposition called for Mendicino to resign.^[27]

On 15 June before the DEDC committee, Minister of Emergency Preparedness Bill Blair and Minister of Finance Chrystia Freeland spoke to questions about recommendations from law enforcement to invoke the Emergencies Act. Minister Blair notes, "I’m not aware of any recommendation of law enforcement. Quite frankly, this is a decision of government." Deputy Prime Minister Freeland said "I would like to take the personal responsibility for that decision [to invoke the Emergencies Act], it was my opinion it was the correct decision," and "a last resort". DEDC committee co-chair Fortin was unable to get a direct answer to his questions about what steps the federal government tried taking before invoking the last resort. MP and committee co-chair Matthew Green repeatedly asked whether Freeland "took notes at high-level meetings she had with bank officials about the economic measures in the emergency declaration," and after getting no response during his allotted time for questions, a frustrated Green said "that is unreal."^[28]

Chinese government interference in Canadian federal elections

On February 19, 2023 while speaking to Mercedes Stephenson of Global News' The West Block, Mendicino did not answer whether the panel appointed to review the integrity of recent federal elections ever saw the CSIS intelligence reports that warned of attempts by China at election interference.^[29] In the interview, Mendicino stated: “We’ve always been up front with the fact that there is foreign interference, that we need to be eyes wide open and vigilant about it”.^[30]

On March 10, 2023, Mendicino held a press conference to announce that the Liberal Government would begin consultations on foreign influence registry to combat Chinese interference.^[31] He took questions from the media surrounding the lack of timeline for the project, and why Canada is not acting faster, when other commonwealth nations have had established registries for foreign influence for years.^[32]

Paul Bernardo transfer

In May 2023, after spending a decade at Millhaven Institution, serial rapist and serial killer Paul Bernardo was transferred to La Macaza Institution, a medium-security facility in Quebec.^[33] The transfer caused controversy and the reason for the transfer was not provided to the public. On June 15, Mendicino said that there was a "breakdown in information flow" in his office and did not explain why he was unaware of preparations to transfer Bernardo. Mendicino's office first learned of Bernardo's potential transfer on March 2. The transfer occurred on May 29, but Mendicino was not informed of the transfer until the day after, despite his office being informed by the Correctional Service of Canada on May 25.^[34]

Mendocino was dropped from cabinet and replaced as Public Safety Minister by Dominic LeBlanc during a cabinet shuffle on July 26, 2023 with the media attributing his demotion to the controversy around the Bernardo transfer.^[35]