Ontario is setting up checkpoints at provincial land borders and enhancing police powers to enforce public health measures as part of a push to curb the spread of COVID-19, as new modelling warns of more than 15,000 new cases a day in the province.
The province is also extending its state of emergency and the current stay-at-home order by at least two weeks beyond its current end date of May 5. The government is shutting down non-essential construction at places such as shopping centres and office towers, and outlawing all outdoor activities such as golf, basketball, and playgrounds, as well as outdoor gatherings from outside one’s household, and limiting capacity at businesses such as grocery stores to 25 per cent. After previously loosening the rules, church services, as well as weddings and funerals, will now be capped at ten people indoors and outdoors.
🔥Ontario, Canada is now officially a police state🔥 pic.twitter.com/cBP8kCTG16
— 🍁🇨🇦CanAditude🇨🇦🍁 (@CanAditude) April 16, 2021
Canadian Constitution Foundation condemns new Ontario police powers as “police state”
TORONTO: The Canadian Constitution Foundation (CCF) is today condemning the new powers that have been granted to Ontario police to enforce the province-wide stay at home order.
The new enforcement powers include giving the police the power to stop individuals and vehicles to ask for their name, address, and their purpose for being away from their residence. The powers comes into effect as of midnight on April 17, 2021.
