Subhead:Prime Minister Justin Trudeau prorogued Parliament on January 6 to counter infighting from his ranks.#
Federal Court has dismissed a constitutional challenge to the Prime Minister’s 11-week prorogation of Parliament. He paused all federal business in the House of Commons and Senate on January 6th to counter infighting from his ranks.
Chief Justice Paul Crampton said the applicants failed to demonstrate that Trudeau exceeded limits established by the written Constitution, unwritten constitutional principles or any other legal limits.
“They failed to meet that burden,” he writes. Meanwhile, lawyers at the Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms are currently reviewing the 96-page decision.
John Carpay, president and CEO of the Justice Centre, earlier questioned the validity of an 11-week prorogation. “It’s for the benefit of the Liberal Party of Canada … and elect a new leader,” he said.
Their internal discord does not transcend the struggles of everyday Canadians, Eva Chipiuk, a Barrister and Solicitor, wrote in a post to social media. “Let’s give the people back their House!!”
The Lesson?
Prorogation cannot be abused to dodge accountability—whether in the UK, Canada, or anywhere else. Democracy demands transparency, not shutdowns.— Sheila Gunn Reid (@SheilaGunnReid) February 14, 2025
Five years ago, the UK Supreme Court ruled then-prime minister Boris Johnson exceeded his powers by proroguing Parliament. Like Trudeau, Johnson also presided over a minority government at the time.
He similarly prorogued Parliament for five weeks after most MPs disagreed with a hard-exit from the European Union, says Carpay. “Court actions were filed and they made their way quickly [through the courts].”
“It wasn’t about routine procedure—it was about avoiding scrutiny,” said Rebel News Chief Editor Sheila Gunn Reid. Blocking MPs from debating national crises is unconstitutional.
The move backfired, and U.K. Parliament was immediately recalled, though Chief Justice Paul Crampton was unsure Canada faced the same crisis. Thursday’s decision confirms that skepticism. Parliament will now resume March 24th, following a pause over a document dispute.
