While Friday’s sitting in the House of Commons was cancelled on the advice of parliamentary security, the deputy prime minister continues to defend the federal government’s decision to invoke the never-before-used Emergencies Act to clear downtown Ottawa of protesters.

”A liberal democracy must be prepared to defend itself,” Chrystia Freeland says.

”When this crisis is over, all of us will need to work hard to heal our country.

But today, our economy and our democracy  are facing a serious and foreign-funded threat.  These illegal blockades and occupation cannot be allowed to usurp the authority of democratically elected governments,” she adds.

Government House Leader Mark Holland says the police operation outside Parliament is being monitored closely, with the hope debate on the emergency powers can resume Saturday with a vote to follow early next week.