FEDERAL NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh on Wednesday said that the use of the Emergencies Act was an admission that all levels of government collectively failed to protect Canadians.

He said the New Democrats did not take the use of the Emergencies Act lightly, and they recognize that invoking it represented a somber time in Canadian history.

He added: “We said from the beginning that it should be revoked as soon as it was no longer needed. We’re glad to see that has been done.”

Singh pointed out: “These last few weeks have raised important concerns about our country and its security. Central to this are questions regarding policing and the lack of enforcement early on that resulted in an escalating crisis. As well, the clear double standard applied by law enforcement to participants in the occupation compared to Indigenous and racialized Canadians must be addressed.”

He said: “Canadians need an action plan to address the rise of extremism and hate in our country. There has been a clear failure to take the threats of extremism, radicalization, and white supremacy seriously. The flow of disinformation and foreign funding is contributing to this growing threat to the safety and security of Canadians, and it is long past time that the federal government address it.”

Singh said: “While we look back and look into what happened in the last few weeks, we must not lose sight of the bigger picture. The story of this pandemic is not one of division – it is one of solidarity. The vast majority of Canadians are vaccinated and continue to follow public health advice to keep their families and their neighbours safe. As we come out of this pandemic, we need to build on that solidarity to fix the gaps in our country that continue to grow.

“The choices we make in the next few weeks will set the course for generations to come. Let’s choose to work together to build a better Canada for our little ones. A Canada that is safer, more just, more hopeful, where all of our children believe they belong.”