News Desk: Canada's Parliament has backed the government's decision to impose emergency powers to deal with weeks-long protest blockades against Covid restrictions.
The motion passed with 185 votes to 151 on Monday, with the support of the Liberals and the left-leaning NDP.
Over the weekend, police cleared the final protest site in Ottawa on streets around Parliament Hill.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau invoked the Emergencies Act early last week.
Earlier on Monday, the Liberal prime minister defended the continued use of the temporary emergency measures, saying that the situation across the country “is still fragile” and they are needed to prevent new blockades.
Members of the Conservative Party – the official opposition – and the Bloc Quebecois voted against the Emergencies Act motion.
The never-before-used Emergencies Act, passed in 1988, gives the government added powers in times of national crisis. These expire after 30 days unless renewed.
