Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has invoked the Emergencies Act for the first time in Canadian history. His father had invoked its predecessor, the War Measures Act, more than half a century earlier.
After the FLQ manifesto was broadcast in October 1970, Québecers felt uplifted. It expressed many of their concerns. That changed after Pierre Laporte was found dead in the trunk of a car.
Ottawa used the old War Measures Act when it wanted sweeping powers to deal with extraordinary events. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has mused about using the newer Emergencies Act during the pandemic.
Canada has closed its borders to asylum-seekers and non-citizens because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Similar emergency measures over the years should teach us that now is not the time for nationalism.