The New Brunswick legislature in Fredericton. (Image: Brad Perry)
Proposed changes to the province’s Emergency Measures Act would give the government and police more powers.
One of the amendments would give peace officers the authority to stop people, request identification and conduct investigations to enforce the Act.
Deputy Public Safety minister Michael Comeau says it won’t give police limitless powers and they must have reasons to stop someone.
“(For example) So entering the province at a point of entry would trigger the right to stop a person. In the future, if we find ourselves in a position where people are required by order to be physically distancing in vehicles,” he says.
Other proposed amendments include heavier fines for businesses which violate the Act and the provincial cabinet would have the power to supersede public acts and municipal bylaws.
Comeau says he encourages Opposition MLA’s to make changes as they see fit.
“These changes will improve our ability to support measures to contain and prevent the spread of COVID-19,” said Public Safety Minister Carl Urquhart.
“These measures would be part of mandatory orders like those we are currently using that support the efforts of the chief medical officer of health and are regularly reviewed by the all-party cabinet committee on COVID-19 and cabinet,” said Urquhart.
Outside the legislature on Thursday, Opposition leaders said they wouldn’t be supporting the changes.
The Emergency Measures Act has been in place since March 19 when the pandemic began impacting the province and it must be renewed every 14 days.
