Emergencies Act (R.S.C., 1985, c. 22 (4th Supp.))

Act current to 2013-05-20 and last amended on 2003-07-02. Previous Versions

Emergencies Act

R.S.C., 1985, c. 22 (4th Supp.)

An Act to authorize the taking of special temporary measures to ensure safety and security during national emergencies and to amend other Acts in consequence thereof

[1988, c. 29, assented to 21st July, 1988]
Preamble

WHEREAS the safety and security of the individual, the protection of the values of the body politic and the preservation of the sovereignty, security and territorial integrity of the state are fundamental obligations of government;

AND WHEREAS the fulfilment of those obligations in Canada may be seriously threatened by a national emergency and, in order to ensure safety and security during such an emergency, the Governor in Council should be authorized, subject to the supervision of Parliament, to take special temporary measures that may not be appropriate in normal times;

AND WHEREAS the Governor in Council, in taking such special temporary measures, would be subject to the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and the Canadian Bill of Rights and must have regard to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, particularly with respect to those fundamental rights that are not to be limited or abridged even in a national emergency;

NOW THEREFORE, Her Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate and House of Commons of Canada, enacts as follows:

SHORT TITLE

Marginal note:Short title

1. This Act may be cited as the Emergencies Act.

APPLICATION AND CONSTRUCTION

Marginal note:Binding on Her Majesty

  • 2. (1) This Act is binding on Her Majesty in right of Canada or a province.

  • Marginal note:Federal jurisdiction

    (2) For greater certainty, nothing in this Act derogates from the authority of the Government of Canada to deal with emergencies on any property, territory or area in respect of which the Parliament of Canada has jurisdiction.

Marginal note:National emergency

3. For the purposes of this Act, a “national emergency” is an urgent and critical situation of a temporary nature that

  • (a) seriously endangers the lives, health or safety of Canadians and is of such proportions or nature as to exceed the capacity or authority of a province to deal with it, or

  • (b) seriously threatens the ability of the Government of Canada to preserve the sovereignty, security and territorial integrity of Canada

and that cannot be effectively dealt with under any other law of Canada.

Marginal note:Construction

4. Nothing in this Act shall be construed or applied so as to confer on the Governor in Council the power to make orders or regulations

  • (a) altering the provisions of this Act; or

  • (b) providing for the detention, imprisonment or internment of Canadian citizens or permanent residents within the meaning of subsection 2(1) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act on the basis of race, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, sex, age or mental or physical disability.

  • R.S., 1985, c. 22 (4th Supp.), s. 4;
  • 2001, c. 27, s. 248.

PART I

PUBLIC WELFARE EMERGENCY

Interpretation

Marginal note:Definitions

5. In this Part,

“declaration of a public welfare emergency”

« déclaration de sinistre »

“declaration of a public welfare emergency” means a proclamation issued pursuant to subsection 6(1);

“public welfare emergency”

« sinistre »

“public welfare emergency” means an emergency that is caused by a real or imminent

  • (a) fire, flood, drought, storm, earthquake or other natural phenomenon,

  • (b) disease in human beings, animals or plants, or

  • (c) accident or pollution

and that results or may result in a danger to life or property, social disruption or a breakdown in the flow of essential goods, services or resources, so serious as to be a national emergency.