History was made on Thursday with the launch of the public hearings of the Public Order Emergency Commission regarding the federal government's use of the Emergencies Act to end the "Freedom Convoy" protests last winter. What began in late January as planned protests against COVID-19 restrictions quickly evolved into weeks of protests in downtown Ottawa and blockades of major border crossings between Canada and the United States. After weeks of business closures, cross-border pressures, and concerns about threats or acts of "serious violence... for the purpose of achieving a political or ideological goal," Prime Minister Justin Trudeau took the unprecedented step on February 14 to invoke the Emergencies Act for the first time since it became law in 1988. Upon declaring the national public order emergency, officials were granted new powers allowing them to suppress protesters' access to funds; the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) were empowered with jurisdiction to enforce local laws; designated critical infrastructure and services such as trucking operators were targeted; and fines and imprisonment were imposed on participants who refused to leave the protest area. On February 23, after widespread police operations resulting in numerous arrests, hundreds of charges laid, and the removal of blockades and ranks of transport trucks in the capital, Trudeau announced the cancellation of the extraordinary national powers, saying the situation "was no longer an emergency." Also, this national inquiry was mandated under the federal Emergencies Act, which explicitly provides for an investigation to be opened 60 days after the national emergency declaration is revoked or expires. Later, on April 25, right on the legally specified deadline, the commission was formed to conduct this independent public inquiry. On that day, Trudeau announced that former Ontario Superior Court Judge Paul Rouleau would lead the inquiry as commissioner. Rouleau said in a statement revealing the "expected" witness list earlier this week: "This critical phase will shed light on the events leading to the public order emergency declaration and will fully explore the reasons provided for the declaration." The investigation is still ongoing.