Page - 175 - in VULNERABLE - The Law, Policy and Ethics of COVID-19

CHAPTER B-3 The Duty to Govern and the Rule of Law in an Emergency* Grégoire Webber** Abstract Across the world, the legislative and judicial branches of government have retreated in part during the COVID-19 pandemic, while mem- bers of the executive branch have assumed greater responsibilities. Is such a shift in responsibilities justified by this emergency or excep- tional situation? This chapter explores this question by reviewing the duty to govern, the duty to govern in compliance with the Rule of Law, the constrained nature of any emergency or exceptional powers, and the duty incumbent on those exercising extraordinary authority to return to the normal situation as much as circumstances allow. Résumé Le devoir de gouverner et la primauté du droit en situation d’urgence Partout dans le monde, les pouvoirs législatif et judiciaire ont fléchi durant la pandémie de COVID-19, tandis que le fardeau du pouvoir * For comments on a previous draft, thanks are owed to the editors, reviewers, and Victoria Carmichael, Jean Thomas, Owen Rees, and Stéphanie Vig. ** Canada Research Chair in Public Law and Philosophy of Law, Queen’s University, and Visiting Fellow, London School of Economics and Political Science. Email: gregoire.webber@queensu.ca.