Challenge Fizzles as Court Upholds PM’s Prorogation Amid Trade Tensions
A Federal Court has tossed out a push by two Nova Scotia men to strike down Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s suspension of Parliament, affirming his authority to call the shots. David MacKinnon of Amherst and Aris Lavranos of Halifax had urged the court to nullify Trudeau’s January directive to Governor General Mary Simon to prorogue Parliament until March 24, insisting it needed solid grounding.
In a late Thursday ruling, Chief Justice Paul Crampton agreed courts can peek at such decisions to keep government legit, but found the challengers’ case lacking. They couldn’t show Trudeau violated the Constitution or any legal limit, despite federal arguments that his advice to Simon was untouchable by judges.
The prorogation followed Trudeau’s emotional January 6 pledge to exit once Liberals crown a successor, resetting a Parliament stalled by Conservative document hunts over green-tech fund misspending. MacKinnon and Lavranos, alarmed by U.S. tariff threats, demanded a fast-tracked hearing, arguing Trudeau’s freeze choked Parliament’s role in a critical moment.
They leaned on principles of parliamentary supremacy, but Crampton ruled they didn’t prove Trudeau’s overstep. He acknowledged their frustration with executive creep yet stressed they bore the burden—and dropped it. Claims of a Liberal dodge around a non-confidence vote or leadership prep didn’t stick; evidence was shaky, and Trudeau’s confidence held firm last month.
Crampton nodded to broader reasons—like a legislative refresh—without dissecting their value, deferring to Supreme Court calls for judicial restraint. Trudeau’s break stays on the books.