Sarnia-Lambton's Conservative MP says Justin Trudeau's invoking of the Emergencies Act is "very concerning".
The prime minister's triggering of the act means police will be given more tools to make arrests and impose fines. Businesses with trucks involved with illegal blockades will suffer consequences including having their corporate bank accounts frozen and their insurance suspended.
Marilyn Gladu claims Trudeau wasn't even using the powers that he already had to take any action against Freedom Convoy protesters in Ottawa.
She said that's worrisome, and claims he needs to do more to de-escalate and address the ongoing protests.
"I think the prime minister is seeking power, clearly," said Gladu. "I don't know that he wants to see a peaceful resolution to what's happening in Ottawa, otherwise he would have done a negotiation."
Gladu said U.S. President Joe Biden has implemented vaccine exemptions for truckers travelling alone, and with companies of less than 100 workers.
"I think the prime minister should have picked up the phone, made a request to have a match with the existing U.S. requirements and then talk about the path to fully opening and dropping the mandates."
Meanwhile, a Conservative motion to have the Liberal government present a plan to end federal vaccine mandates and restrictions by the end of the month was defeated on Monday.
"It's disappointing that the NDP would prop up this Liberal government yet again when all we were calling for was a plan to end these mandates. Medical experts in the country, the World Health Organization and our allies in many other countries are opening up. We're just looking for some leadership from the federal government to come up with a plan on when that's going to happen. We've seen other provinces do that, and that's all we were asking for. The NDP stood with the Liberals to defeat that motion."
The motion was defeated 185-151.
Meanwhile, as of February 28, fully vaccinated travellers will no longer be required to get a PCR test when coming back into Canada.
Minister of Health Jean-Yves Duclos announced travellers will still need to take a test prior to their arrival but it can be a cheaper and faster rapid antigen test.
