Doug Ford, Sylvia Jones receive immunity from testifying at Emergencies Act inquiry

Immunity provided to Ontario Premier, Doug Ford and Deputy Premier, Sylvia Jones has officially allowed the pair to avoid testifying at the Emergencies Act inquiry in Ottawa.

Federal Court Justice Simon Fothergill decided that Ford’s and Jones’ parliamentary privilege overrules the summons issued by the Public Order Emergency Commission.

The commission is examining the federal government’s use of the Emergencies Act to end the so-called Freedom Convoy protests that happened last winter in Ottawa and Windsor.

Ford and Jones were summoned by Commissioner Paul Rouleau because he wanted to know the role the pair played in the crisis that occupied downtown Ottawa and blocked the country’s busiest border crossing for weeks.

Ford and Jones filed an application for a judicial review and sought a stay of the summons.

They argued the summons should be quashed because they are immune to testifying due to parliamentary privilege that allows them to focus on their duties at Queen’s Park.