War Measures Act

The War Measures Act was a Canadian statute that allowed the government to assume sweeping emergency powers. When the act is invoked, citizens can be arrested and imprisoned without the benefit of trial or even a stated explanation. It essentially creates a period of martial law in the country.

The act has been invoked three times in Canadian history: World War I, World War II, during the October Crisis of 1970.

This act has been repealed and was replaced with the Emergencies Act in 1988.