This week on “It’s Political,” we dig into the government’s rationale for invoking the Emergencies Act to end last winter's "Freedom Convoy" protests. First, Toronto Star reporters Tonda MacCharles and Alex Ballingall will walk us through all of the drama and pivot points exposed during the Public Order Emergency Commission’s hearings. The parade of high-profile witnesses and thousands of internal documents, including private correspondence, offered an unprecedented look inside government decision-making, and some of the stresses within federal-provincial relations.

Then, we’ll sit down with national security law expert Leah West and national security expert Stephanie Carvin, both from the Norman Paterson School of International Affairs at Carleton University, to discuss that critical question: did Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government meet the legal threshold required to use the Emergencies Act? Their answers may surprise you.

Thanks this week to CPAC, the Public Order Emergency Commission, CBC and Global for some of the clips used during this episode.

“It’s Political” is produced by Althia Raj and Michal Stein. Sean Pattendon mixes the program. Our theme music is by Isaac Joel.