War Measures Act (Canada)

E788890

The War Measures Act (Canada) was a federal law that granted the Canadian government sweeping emergency powers to control the economy, civil liberties, and security during times of war or national crisis.

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All labels observed (1)

Label Occurrences
War Measures Act (Canada) canonical 1

Statements (44)

Predicate Object
instanceOf Canadian federal statute
emergency powers legislation
allowedMeasure censorship of press and mail
control of manufacturing and production
regulation of foreign exchange and financial transactions
appliedTo persons designated as enemy aliens
associatedWithGovernment Government of Pierre Elliott Trudeau NERFINISHED
Government of Robert Borden NERFINISHED
Government of William Lyon Mackenzie King NERFINISHED
constitutionalContext enacted before the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms
country Canada
criticizedFor broad and vague definition of emergency powers
lack of parliamentary oversight during its use
violations of civil liberties
enactedBy Parliament of Canada NERFINISHED
enactmentYear 1914
historicalSignificance central to Canadian wartime governance in the 20th century
key example of tension between national security and civil liberties in Canada
invocationDate 1914-08-22
1939-09-10
1970-10-16
invokedDuring October Crisis NERFINISHED
World War I NERFINISHED
World War II NERFINISHED
jurisdiction Parliament of Canada NERFINISHED
legalBasisFor federal response to the October Crisis (1970)
internment of German Canadians during World War II
internment of Italian Canadians during World War II
internment of Japanese Canadians during World War II
internment of enemy aliens in Canada during World War I
legalNature enabling act for executive orders and regulations
powerGranted arrest, detain, and deport without normal legal safeguards
control and censor communications
control the economy in wartime
control transportation and trade
regulate or seize property
suspend civil liberties
purpose grant sweeping emergency powers to the federal government during war or national crisis
repealedBy Emergencies Act (Canada) NERFINISHED
repealYear 1988
replacedBecause need for a rights‑respecting and charter‑compatible emergency framework
replacedBy Emergencies Act (Canada) NERFINISHED
royalAssentDate 1914-08-22
status repealed

Referenced by (1)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Canadian home front during World War I hasMainSubject War Measures Act (Canada)