Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced on Monday the formation of a new committee tasked with investigating his use of emergency powers to confront a protest by a convoy of far-right Canadian vehicles, known as the "Freedom Convoy," months ago, which caused chaos in the capital Ottawa.

The committee is studying the circumstances that led to the declaration and the measures taken in response to the state of emergency, including what Trudeau classified as the "development of the convoy, the impact of funding and misinformation, the economic impact, police efforts, and others before and after the declaration."

Trudeau invoked the Emergency Act for the first time in Canadian history during the Freedom Convoy protest in February in the capital Ottawa, thereby granting the federal government temporary powers to deal with truckers and other protesters against COVID-19 vaccine mandates and other pandemic-related restrictions and freezing the bank accounts of those suspected of supporting the convoy.

Since late January, downtown Ottawa turned into a protest site for hundreds of heavy and small trucks and other vehicles whose owners say they are fed up with COVID-19 pandemic control measures. The convoy, organized under the slogan "Freedom Convoy 2022," caused traffic paralysis in the heart of the city, forced some businesses to close their doors, and disrupted residents' daily lives. On consecutive weekends, tens of thousands gathered near the federal parliament to show their support for the convoy.

Protesters closed the Ambassador Bridge, a vital trade route connecting Windsor in Ontario and Detroit in the United States.

The bridge closure choked supplies to automotive companies in Detroit, forcing Ford Motor, General Motors, and Toyota Motor to reduce production.

On February 14, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau took an unusual step by activating emergency powers that are rarely used in the country to protect national security and Ottawa residents from far-right chaos.