Public Inquiry https://canadianriley.com Canadian Riley From Parliament to You Independent Political News Blog Sun, 04 Jun 2023 02:41:54 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.5 https://i0.wp.com/canadianriley.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/cropped-canadian-riley.png?fit=32%2C32&ssl=1 Public Inquiry https://canadianriley.com 32 32 214541444 Day 31 of Public Hearings, November 25, 2022 Public Inquiry for the Invocation of the Emergencies Act https://canadianriley.com/day-31-of-public-hearings-november-25-2022-public-inquiry-for-the-invocation-of-the-emergencies-act/ https://canadianriley.com/day-31-of-public-hearings-november-25-2022-public-inquiry-for-the-invocation-of-the-emergencies-act/?noamp=mobile#respond Fri, 25 Nov 2022 22:27:56 +0000 https://canadianriley.com/?p=2517 On day 31 of the Emergencies Act Public Inquiry, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau testified defending invoking the Act and lied about ever having called unvaccinated Canadians names.

Prime Minister Trudeau testified that that he had not seen the police plan to dismantle the Ottawa protest, which was the plan ultimately used to dismantle the protest, but admitted that the plan he had not seen was not a sufficient plan and therefore Invoked the Emergencies Act anyway.

PRIME MINISTER JUSTIN TRUDEAU, Affirmed
Examination in-Chief by Ms. Shantona Chaudhury
Cross-Examination by Ms. Ewa Krajewska
Cross-Examination by Mr. Rob Kittredge
Cross-Examination by Mr. Sujit Choudhry
Cross-Examination by Ms. Jessica Barrow
Cross-Examination by Ms. Stephanie Bowes
Cross-Examination by Ms. Eva Chipiuk
Cross-Examination by Ms. Alyssa Tomkins
Cross-Examination by Ms. Christine Johnson
Cross-Examination by Mr. Christopher Diana
Cross-Examination by Ms. Rebecca Jones
Cross-Examination by Ms. Jennifer King
Cross-Examination by Ms. Heather Paterson
Cross-Examination by Mr. Mitch McAdam
Cross-Examination by Mr. Greg DelBigio
Cross-Examination by Mr. Brian Gover

Justin Trudeau, under oath: “I did not call people who were unvaccinated [bad] names.”

“Using protests to demand changes to public policy is something that I think is worrisome” -@JustinTrudeau

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau justifies invoking the Emergencies Act because of the “weaponization of vehicles”, “cars ramming into police officers”, “trucks used as potential weapons with their presence” and “the use of children as human shields deliberately.”

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he hadn’t personally seen the RCMP plan given to the government the day before he invoked the Emergencies Act, but he nonetheless had no confidence in it.

Justin Trudeau told the Commission to read this plan in his earlier testimony. It’s fully redacted.
Watch him smirk while waiting for the objection when asked if he would release the information in the interest of transparency:

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says protests are part of a robust democracy but can’t be used to demand “changes to public policy.” He then says protests can be used to demand changes to public policy.

Justin Trudeau takes the stand: “I think that we have a robust, functioning democracy, and public protests are an important part of making sure we’re getting messages out there, but using protests to demand changes to public policy is something that I think is worrisome.”

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the Freedom Convoy protests were illegal because they didn’t have permits and were violating parking laws.

Justin Trudeau answers the question on our minds: Why did you not engage with protestors? “We heard them. We knew exactly what they were asking for. It was clear that it wasn’t just that they want to be heard – they wanted to be obeyed. They wanted us to change public policy.”

Justin Trudeau redacted – on the basis of “relevance”! – the fact that Americans had promised to provide tow truck, while arguing the absence of tow trucks as the basis for the Emergencies Act invocation. This alone should be the basis of compelled resignation!

Justin Trudeau says the Emergencies Act didn’t suspend the fundamental rights and freedoms of Canadians.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau explains his definition of protest and that he was concerned with legitimizing the Convoy if he were to engage with them.

Well, @marcomendicino just accidentally admitted that the Emergencies Act was invoked because the convoy proved to be an international embarrassment for @JustinTrudeau . Dictators don’t like being embarrassed in front of their political brethren.

When asked about RCMP Commissioner Brenda Lucki’s plan to have trucks moved on Feb 13, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says he had not personally read it, but still had no confidence in it.

Justin Trudeau says he is “absolutely, absolutely serene and confident” that he made the right choice to invoke the never-before-used Emergencies Act on the Freedom Convoy.

Justin Trudeau refuses to directly answer whether the full cabinet viewed a CSIS report by David Vigneault before invoking the Emergencies Act. Remember – he claims the governor in council (the PM and cabinet) make the call. How can they without reviewing the information?

Justin Trudeau is questioned on when the possibility of using the Emergencies Act on protestors came into play: “As an idea – it would have been from the very beginning, in the back of our minds.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1596173477027131392

Government of Canada lawyer intervenes after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is asked if he will release the unredacted version of the police plan he said he had no confidence in.

Lawyer for Sask lures Justin Trudeau into all out BS. After telling Trudeau that his gov consulted extensively with the provinces on invoking EA in 2020, Trudeau tries his luck at suggesting this time was urgent. The problem? He invoked EA 3 weeks *after* the Convoy started.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the convoy protests were illegal because organizers didn’t have a permit and there were parking infractions, and other bylaw and provincial offence infractions.

Justin Trudeau: “It’s not the words [that are used from the CSIS Act to meet the threshold to invoke the EA] that are different – the words are the same in both cases. The question is – who is doing the interpretation, what inputs come in, and what is the purpose of it?”

When asked about the effect Covid mandates had on Canadians, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says he wished he had done more to get people vaccinated.

After going out of his way to explain how unfair it was for him to get blamed for inaction in Ottawa because it was an Ottawa Police issue, hypocrite @JustinTrudeau
doesn’t apply the same standard to Doug Ford in a conversation with his pal @JimWatsonOttawa

When asked when the Emergencies Act came into play as a possibility, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says “from the very beginning.”

Justin Trudeau’s Brain Freezes When Recalling Why He Cracked Down on Peaceful Protestors. Lawyer: Do you remember what you were referring to when you start talking about “You shouldn’t need more tools?”

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau suggests the CSIS Act definition of a security threat has different thresholds when it’s used for CSIS purposes from when it’s used to justify the Emergencies Act.

“We heard them… It wasn’t that they just wanted to be heard. They wanted to be obeyed.” Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says he heard and understood the concerns of the protesters but thought de-escalation would not be possible.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he didn’t need to meet with Convoy protesters because he heard them and knew what they wanted. “It wasn’t that they just wanted to be heard. They wanted to be obeyed.”

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the Emergencies Act did not suspend the fundamental rights and freedoms of Canadians.

Justin Trudeau addresses allegations the Emergencies Act was invoked for a political purpose. “My motivation was entirely about ensuring the safety of Canadians.”

Final Submissions by Mr. Robert MacKinnon
Final Submissions by Mr. Mitch McAdam
Final Submissions by Ms. Mandy England
Final Submissions by Ms. Alyssa Tomkins
Final Submissions by Ms. Jennifer King
Final Submissions by Mr. David Migicovsky
Final Submissions by Mr. Thomas McRae
Final Submissions by Mr. Christopher Diana
Final Submissions by Mr. Tom Curry
Final Submissions by Ms. Eva Chipiuk
Final Submissions by Mr. Paul Champ
Final Submissions by Mr. Greg DelBigio
Final Submissions by Ms. Cheyenne Arnold-Cunningham
Final Submissions by Ms. Nini Jones
Final Submissions by Mr. Sujit Choudhry
Final Submissions by Ms. Cara Zwibel
Final Submissions by Mr. Alan Honner

]]> https://canadianriley.com/day-31-of-public-hearings-november-25-2022-public-inquiry-for-the-invocation-of-the-emergencies-act/feed/ 0 2517 Day 30 of Public Hearings, November 24, 2022 Public Inquiry for the Invocation of the Emergencies Act https://canadianriley.com/day-30-of-public-hearings-november-24-2022-public-inquiry-for-the-invocation-of-the-emergencies-act/ https://canadianriley.com/day-30-of-public-hearings-november-24-2022-public-inquiry-for-the-invocation-of-the-emergencies-act/?noamp=mobile#respond Thu, 24 Nov 2022 22:21:23 +0000 https://canadianriley.com/day-27-of-public-hearings-november-21-2022-public-inquiry-for-the-invocation-of-the-emergencies-act-2/ Day 30 of the Emergencies Act Public Inquiry, Chrystia Freeland testified that the Freedom Convoy protesters were trying to change policy at “gunpoint” and that she refused to negotiate with people who hold democracy “hostage.”

DEPUTY PM CHRYSTIA FREELAND, Sworn
Examination in-Chief by Ms. Shantona Chaudhury
Cross-Examination by Mr. Brendan Miller
Cross-Examination by Ms. Ewa Krajewska
Cross-Examination by Ms. Janani Shanmuganathan
Cross-Examination by Mr. Alan Honner
Cross-Examination by Ms. Mandy England
Cross-Examination by Ms. Jennifer King
Cross-Examination by Mr. Mike Morris
Cross-Examination by Mr. Stephen Aylward

Chrystia Freeland claims the freezing of bank accounts three days before the Emergency Order was “to provide an incentive to leave” and therefore “avoid blood on a face of a child”. This is disgusting and disingenuous.

Alan Honner: President Biden, who is probably the world’s most powerful person, had a telephone call with the Prime Minister. And that telephone call, it happened on a Friday. By Monday, the Emergencies Act was invoked. Deputy PM Chrystia Freeland: That’s true.

Handwritten notes on a discussion with an undisclosed other by Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland show us how they really feel about democracy: “You need to designate the group [of protestors] as a terrorist group.”

The fascist tyrants never think they are the fascist tyrants

The “liberal” government (dirty fascists) won with the lowest margin ever. 32.6% of the popular vote. they were mandated to do NOTHING. They were barely tolerated. you are the illegitimate, authoritarian, fascist regime you rage against.

Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland said of the Freedom Convoy, “I will never support negotiating with those who hold our democracy hostage.”

The fascist @JustinTrudeau government invoked the Emergencies Act, assaulted protesters, froze bank accounts to show America that Canada was not a banana republic. And in so doing, proved that Canada is a banana republic. A life of shame for @cafreeland. She deserves nothing less

Freedom Convoy lawyer Brendan Miller just walks away after asking Chrystia Freeland if it would look really bad internationally if the Nazi flags are linked back to her government.

“Yes it was” Chrystia Freeland responds when asked if she relied on news articles because “there was no information the government had in relation to foreign funding [of the Freedom Convoy protest] at the time the declaration of emergency”

Alluding to enormous pressure from the US, @TDF_can lawyer Alan Honner explains to Chrystia Freeland that after President Biden called Prime Minister Trudeau on a Friday, “by Monday the Emergencies Act was invoked.” “That’s true,” replies Chrystia Freeland.

Chrystia Freeland speaking at the Public Order Emergency Commission appears to put on a very quick emotional act while claiming she has a duty to Canadians.

Chrystia Freeland dodges an answer on whether Health Canada advised her to enact federal regulations [vaccine mandates]. “I’m not going to speak to specific moments that we had advice.”

Question to Chrystia Freeland based on a text sent to her from Alex Lawrence: “Were you concerned that small donors [to Freedom Convoy] were being captured by these [financial] measures?”

Lawyer Alan Honner: “And that telephone call with Biden, it happened on a Friday and by the Monday the Emergencies Act was invoked” Chrystia Freeland: “That’s true.” So Joe Biden pushed Trudeau to invoke the Emergencies ACT.

“I don’t think it’s healthy for any democracy for policy to be made at gun point.” Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland describes the Freedom Convoy as an “occupation on our democracy” and that she would never negotiate with the protesters.

Chrystia Freeland testifying at the Public Order Emergency Commission says she’s “not going to define what a protest is.”

The commission reveals that Deputy PM Chrystia Freeland replied with, “Couldn’t agree more,” after receiving a memo suggesting the use of the military at border crossings even “after the protesters are removed to send a clear signal.”

Chrystia Freeland speaking at the Public Order Emergency Commission this morning says Joe Biden is “the most important elected leader in the world” and calls him a “very busy guy.”

Lawyer Alan Honner: “And that telephone call with Biden, it happened on a Friday and by the Monday the Emergencies Act was invoked” Chrystia Freeland: “That’s true.”

Discussing a text exchange with the American owner of a Hamilton-based steel company, Deputy PM Chrystia Freeland says the “immediate conclusion” to border blockades was that “the Americans are going to respond by cutting us out” of trade.

“I will never support negotiating with those who held our democracy hostage,” wrote Deputy PM Chrystia Freeland in a doc presented to the commission. “I don’t think it’s healthy for any democracy for policy to be made at gunpoint, if you will.”

Did @cafreeland just point to her ear and hot mic “I can’t hear” to her lawyers??

Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland describes feeling that Canada was a “powder keg” and fearing violence. She recalls feeling impacted by seeing a woman get honked at.

Chrystia Freeland looks guilty. She breaths a major sigh of relief after she realizes that she doesn’t have to answer the question. “…if it turns out that those (Nazi) flags were linked to your government….”

The Trudeau gov’t would have “overwhelmingly preferred” not to invoke the Emergencies Act, testifies Deputy PM Chrystia Freeland. She claims this was “everyone’s preference,” despite invoking the “measure of last resort” after blockades in Coutts & Windsor ended.

Deputy PM Chrystia Freeland was told a “direct quote” from an investor to a CEO of a Canadian bank saying, “I won’t invest another red cent in your banana republic in Canada.” Freeland describes it as a “heart stopping quote.”

Chrystia Freeland “only wanted to assert things that were true” during the Freedom Convoy and that “It was really important for us to maintain public confidence of Canadians in their government, including the confidence of Canadians who disagreed with us.”

Deputy PM Chrystia Freeland gets emotional over recalling how investors were considering Canada a “banana republic,” and that in her role as deputy PM and finance minister, she “had to protect Canadians” because their “well-being was being really, really damaged.”

Deputy PM Chrystia Freeland tells the commission that one of the reasons why the protests and blockades had to come to an end was due to the “possibly irreparable harm to our trading relationship with the United States.”

Chrystia Freeland claims the freezing of Canadian bank accounts was to provide “economic incentives for people to leave”. She is Washington’s “prime candidate” for Secretary-General of the terrorist organization NATO.

Freedom Convoy lawyer Brendan Miller cross examines Trudope’s handler, Chrystia Freeland today at the EUA inquiry.
https://twitter.com/i/status/1596080924084428800

During the Emergencies Act inquiry, Chrystia Freeland says “Having Fox News attack you isn’t a problem only because Canadians might be watching, but if you have a big US operation, it’s a problem because your American customers will be watching.”

MR. BRIAN CLOW, Affirmed
MS. KATHERINE TELFORD, Sworn
MR. JOHN BRODHEAD, Affirmed
Examination in-Chief by Ms. Shantona Chaudhury
Cross-Examination by Ms. Stephanie Bowes
Cross-Examination by Mr. Brendan Miller
Cross-Examination by Mr. David Migicovsky
Cross-Examination by Ms. Cara Zwibel
Cross-Examination by Mr. Alan Honner
Cross-Examination by Ms. Janani Shanmuganathan
Cross-Examination by Ms. Alyssa Tomkins
Cross-Examination by Ms. Christine Johnson
Cross-Examination by Mr. Christopher Diana
Cross-Examination by Mr. Tom Curry
Cross-Examination by Mr. Michael Morris
Cross-Examination by Mr. Brian Gover

PMO official Brian Clow tells TDF lawyer that they were “all aware” that a “certain segment” in US politics was supportive of the Freedom Convoy.

“Time was up” for the Freedom Convoy and other protests and the Emergencies Act “needed to be enacted right away,” says PMO official Brian Clow.

“The concern for us was it was direct encouragement for unlawful activity that was hugely damaging to the country,” says PMO official Brian Clow when addressing a conversation between PM Trudeau and Pres. Biden.

Katie Telford is asked about a “fake letter” that made international news and talks about a “story that was created that I was going to create a false flag operation and…blame it on the occupiers.” Telford says the info circulated on social media and in physical forms too.

The issue of solicitor-client privilege comes up yet again, as Katie Telford, Trudeau’s chief of staff, is pressed by Freedom Convoy lawyer Brendan Miller about massive redactions in gov’t documents.

MR. KENNTEH WEATHERILL, Sworn
Cross-Examination by Ms. Alyssa Tomkins
Cross-Examination by Mr. Tom Curry
Cross-Examination by Ms. Emilie Taman
Re-Examination by Mr. Jean-Simon Schoenholz

]]> https://canadianriley.com/day-30-of-public-hearings-november-24-2022-public-inquiry-for-the-invocation-of-the-emergencies-act/feed/ 0 2511 Day 29 of Public Hearings, November 23, 2022 Public Inquiry for the Invocation of the Emergencies Act https://canadianriley.com/day-29-of-public-hearings-november-23-2022-public-inquiry-for-the-invocation-of-the-emergencies-act/ https://canadianriley.com/day-29-of-public-hearings-november-23-2022-public-inquiry-for-the-invocation-of-the-emergencies-act/?noamp=mobile#respond Wed, 23 Nov 2022 22:21:23 +0000 https://canadianriley.com/day-29-of-public-hearings-november-23-2022-public-inquiry-for-the-invocation-of-the-emergencies-act-2/ Day 29 of the Public Inquiry hearings, David Lametti, Justice Minister refused to answer questions about the Trudeau government’s decision to invoke the Emergencies Act by citing solicitor-client privilege.

The Government of Canada informed the Commission that David Lametti would not be answering questions about what could be considered legal advice that he gave to cabinet regarding the Emergencies Act.

MINISTER DAVID LAMETTI, Sworn
Examination in-Chief by Mr. Gordon Cameron
Cross-Examination by Mr. Brendan Miller
Cross-Examination by Ms. Christine Johnson
Cross-Examination by Mr. Tom Curry
Cross-Examination by Ms. Cheyenne Arnold-Cunningham
Cross-Examination by Ms. Janani Shanmuganathan
Cross-Examination by Mr. Alan Honner
Cross-Examination by Ms. Cara Zwibel
Cross-Examination by Ms. Jennifer King
Cross-Examination by Ms. Heather Paterson
Cross-Examination by Mr. Mitch McAdam
Cross-Examination by Ms. Andrea Gonsalves
Re-Examination by Mr. Gordon Cameron

The Government of Canada asserted solicitor-client privilege before David Lametti testified, meaning legal advice he gave government is protected. I still want to know how the government ended up taking a broader view of “threats to the security of Canada” than what’s in the Act.

Attorney General and Minister of Justice David Lametti gives us his very special take on the threshold for invoking the Emergencies Act. “There’s been an evolution of the [Emergencies] Act.”
Umm, when was that again? Since it worked for them?

Attorney General and Minister of Justice David Lametti: “The [legal] threshold as applied [to invoke the Emergencies Act] as you’ve seen in testimony before this commission has evolved. The rules of thumb for interpreting that have evolved.” How convenient.

Justice Minister David Lametti refutes an assertion from our litigation director, Alan Honner, that the Trudeau gov’t would have kept the Emergencies Act longer. Lametti says the gov’t “would not keep the act a minute longer than we needed to.”

Justice Minister David Lametti said that even though Emergencies Act cleared out lawful, peaceful protesters, they could have continued protesting if they went somewhere else.

Minister of Justice David Lametti reveals that Director of CSIS David Vigneault was provided a separate legal opinion on “threats to the security of Canada” from the Gov’t of Canada. The details are being guarded by solicitor-client privileges.

Justice Minister David Lametti was pressed on if there were any changes to the definition of a national emergency, only to have the federal government’s lawyer interject, claiming this is “getting into legal argument on the interpretation of the legislation.”

Justice Minister David Lametti says Convoy protesters “always had the option to go somewhere else to protest legally… Throughout all of this, those people had an option to move, to protest legally, but they didn’t.”

Justice Minister David Lametti refuses to answer Freedom Convoy lawyer Brendan Miller’s question about the “broader scope” of section 2 of the Emergencies Act. Lametti, citing solicitor-client privilege, says “you’re asking me to answer questions as a lawyer.”

Justice Minister David Lametti addresses the “legitimate criticism” directed at police during the Freedom Convoy, suggesting “if they had been a Black Lives Matter or an Indigenous protest that perhaps the police reaction might have been different.”

“The threshold, as applied, as you’ve seen in testimony before this commission, has evolved”: Justice Minister David Lametti testifies on how “the very same words” can have a “wider area of interpretation” under the Emergencies Act.

Text messages between Justice Minister David Lametti and Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino suggests the ministers were looking to advise police operations in Ottawa during the Freedom Convoy, which included sourcing a tank.

“I reject that premise.” Justice Minister David Lametti refutes an assertion from @TDF_Can
‘s Alan Honner that the Trudeau gov’t would have kept the Emergencies Act longer. Lametti says the gov’t “would not keep the act a minute longer than we needed to.”

“There was always the opportunity to conduct legal protests,” said Minister of Justice David Lametti while discussing whether the protests were a threat to the “rule of law.” “It’s the rule of the mob as opposed to the rule of law,” he said of the convoy.

“Incompetent,” is how Justice Minister David Lametti described former Ottawa police chief Peter Sloly’s early handling of the Freedom Convoy.
Lametti adds he was “frustrated” because he felt unsafe as a part-time resident of Ottawa.

The commission’s lawyer says Justice Minister David Lametti’s repeated references to solicitor-client privilege “has made such a black box of what has turned out to be a central issue before the hearing.”

MINISTER ANITA ANAND, Sworn
Examination in-Chief by Mr. Gordon Cameron
Cross-Examination by Ms. Ewa Krajewska
Cross-Examination by Mr. Rob Kittredge
Cross-Examination by Ms. Mandy England
Cross-Examination by Ms. Caroline Laverdière

Defence Minister Anita Anand is grilled over Ministers Mendicino and Lametti’s texts about using tanks against peaceful Freedom Convoy protestors.

During the Emergencies Act inquiry, Defence Minister Anita Anand: “I did have concerns about deploying the Canadian Armed Forces … for escalatory reasons.”

“I maintained that was the right conclusion all the way along until the gov’t of Canada made the prudent decision to invoke the Emergencies Act,” testifies Defence Minister Anita Anand while addressing the “totality” of “factors” that led to this decision.

“We need to make sure that the Canadian Armed Forces are not deployed in cases where we are addressing protest management…given the potential for escalation.” Defence Minister Anita Anand testifies the CAF wouldn’t be used to end the Freedom Convoy.

“I maintained that was the right conclusion all the way along until the gov’t of Canada made the prudent decision to invoke the Emergencies Act,” testifies Defence Minister Anita Anand while addressing the “totality” of “factors” that led to this decision.

MINISTER OMAR ALGHABRA, Affirmed
Examination in-Chief by Mr. Gordon Cameron
Cross-Examination by Mr. Hatim Kheir
Cross-Examination by Ms. Jennifer King
Cross-Examination by Ms. Mandy England
Cross-Examination by Ms. Donnaree Nygard

“I don’t think we could say thank you enough to truckers” for their work during the pandemic, says Transport Minister Omar Alghabra. Despite that, the cross-border vax mandate for truckers, which sparked the Freedom Convoy, was cohesive with public health advice.

“Yes, the Emergencies Act is for emergencies” and the Freedom Convoy “felt like an emergency,” says Transport Minister Omar Alghabra. Alghabra says he was “reluctant” to see the act invoked, “but it was the right thing to do.”

“There was a lot of anxiety” that the Freedom Convoy would be Canada’s version of the Jan. 6 riot at the US Capitol, says Transport Minister Omar Alghabra. “We certainly wanted to make sure that the federal gov’t was prepared for this protest.”

Transport Minister Omar Alghabra addresses the “reluctance” some tow truck drivers had to move Freedom Convoy vehicles. Despite the Emergencies Act compelling these drivers to remove the Freedom Convoy, Alghabra says Charter rights were respected.

“Being aware of the sentiment of Canadians is different from advancing the interest of Canadians,” says Transport Minister Omar Alghabra as he addresses whether the gov’t should respond to demands from public outcry, in this case the Freedom Convoy.

JCCF lawyer cross-examines Omar ALGHABRA, “Requirement for upon arrival testing. Those tests were eliminated and that wasn’t because of the illegal occupation.”

Transport Minister Omar Alghabra was “relieved” the Ont. gov’t acted on emergency measures and “built upon the advice” the federal gov’t proposed. Alghabra notes “the Ambassador Bridge is our most important port of entry” connecting Canada and the US.

Transport Minister Omar Alghabra addresses the “reluctance” some tow truck drivers had to move Freedom Convoy vehicles. Despite the Emergencies Act compelling these drivers to remove the Freedom Convoy, Alghabra says Charter rights were respected.

“I don’t think we could say thank you enough to truckers” for their work during the pandemic, says Transport Minister Omar Alghabra. Despite that, the cross-border vax mandate for truckers, which sparked the Freedom Convoy, was cohesive with public health advice.

Transport Minister Omar Alghabra on the “extraordinary measures” during the pandemic: “I am not making any apology for doing what we believed to be the best thing,” adding, “policies were based on the advice…facts…science that we received.”

“Being aware of the sentiment of Canadians is different from advancing the interest of Canadians,” says Transport Minister Omar Alghabra as he addresses whether the gov’t should respond to demands from public outcry, in this case the Freedom Convoy.

“Yes, the Emergencies Act is for emergencies” and the Freedom Convoy “felt like an emergency,” says Transport Minister Omar Alghabra. Alghabra says he was “reluctant” to see the act invoked, “but it was the right thing to do.”

]]> https://canadianriley.com/day-29-of-public-hearings-november-23-2022-public-inquiry-for-the-invocation-of-the-emergencies-act/feed/ 0 2515 Day 28 of Public Hearings, November 22, 2022 Public Inquiry for the Invocation of the Emergencies Act https://canadianriley.com/day-28-of-public-hearings-november-22-2022-public-inquiry-for-the-invocation-of-the-emergencies-act/ https://canadianriley.com/day-28-of-public-hearings-november-22-2022-public-inquiry-for-the-invocation-of-the-emergencies-act/?noamp=mobile#respond Tue, 22 Nov 2022 22:21:23 +0000 https://canadianriley.com/day-28-of-public-hearings-november-22-2022-public-inquiry-for-the-invocation-of-the-emergencies-act-2/ Day 28 of the Emergencies Act Public Inquiry, Marco Mendicino, Public Safety Minister testified that he was aware that the Freedom Convoy did not pose a threat to national security as is required in the Act. “Yes, I was aware that CSIS had concluded that Section 2 under the CSIS Act was not met. I was aware of that fact,” Mendicino responded.

Hand-written notes which were made public Tuesday indicated that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s national security and intelligence advisor knew that Section 2 under the CSIS Act was not met.

MINISTER MARCO MENDICINO, Sworn
Examination in-Chief by Ms. Shantona Chaudhury
Cross-Examination by Mr. Christopher Diana
Cross-Examination by Ms. Jessica Barrow
Cross-Examination by Mr. Tom Curry
Cross-Examination by Mr. Paul Champ
Cross-Examination by Ms. Mandy England
Cross-Examination by Ms. Cheyenne Arnold-Cunningham
Cross-Examination by Mr. Sujit Choudhry
Cross-Examination by Mr. Antoine D’Ailly
Cross-Examination by Ms. Cara Zwibel
Cross-Examination by Ms. Jennifer King
Cross-Examination by Mr. Brendan Miller
Cross-Examination by Mr. Michael Morris
Cross-Examination by Ms. Nini Jones
Cross-Examination by Mr. Brendan van Niejenhuis

Mic drop moment! Look at Mendicino’s face.

Marco Mendicino continues to cite the potential for violence within the convoy, again referencing concerns about guns in Ottawa, while conveniently glossing over that the charge was laid against a counter-protestor.

Formerly redacted documents released today show that Marco Mendicino was aware that CSIS had concluded that the legal threshold under Section 2 of the CSIS Act necessary to invoke the Emergencies Act had not been satisfied.

Marco Mendicino confirms that on the day the government invoked the Emergencies Act, he was aware that CSIS had concluded the Freedom Convoy didn’t meet the definition of a threat to national security spelled out in the legislation.

Minister Marco Mendicino declines to confirm whether law enforcement requested the Emergencies Act, states “As you heard from CSIS, the threshold was met in the broader interpretation of the law.”
The law sure seems to get broader as the government’s case gets weaker.

Miller knows what’s up. Alex Cohen wants to testify and do the right thing. Big blow up while Mendicino smiles

Keith Wilson says his team isn’t ready to cross-examine Marco Mendicino because text conversations relating to Mendicino have yet to be released and because Rouleau ejected lawyer Brendan Miller.

Defence Minister Anita Anand is grilled over Ministers Mendicino and Lametti’s texts about using tanks against peaceful Freedom Convoy protestors.

Mendicino gets creative on whether the legal threshold for the EA was met: We needed to look at the broader scope of the EA, which meant looking at Section 2 of that statute where it talks about the presence of a serious threat. In my judgement, you kind of need to look at both.

Marco Mendicino isn’t aware, of anything.

In justifying the Emergencies Act, Mendicino says protesters had “a politically stated objective to overthrow the govt if it refused to reverse course on pandemic policy”. He says the protest was “national in scale.” The Act was not needed to end blockades in Coutts & Windsor.

In an internal exchange between Ministers LeBlanc and Mendicino, the pair discuss former Alberta premier Kenney’s comments that “the trucker vax policy is obviously dumb political theatre.” Mendicino disagrees, but notes it was in the Liberals’ election platform.

“I was aware that CSIS had concluded that section 2 under the CSIS Act was not met,” testifies Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino in response to a note written by national security adviser Jody Thomas.

Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino sidesteps question on whether the federal government’s vaccine mandate, which the Liberals campaigned on in the 2021 election, was “political or ideological.”

Formerly redacted documents released today show that Marco Mendicino was aware that CSIS had concluded that the legal threshold under Section 2 of the CSIS Act necessary to invoke the Emergencies Act had not been satisfied.

TENSE EXCHANGE: Freedom Convoy lawyer Brendan Miller presses Commissioner Rouleau to subpoena Alex Cohen, a communications staffer under Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino.

Coutts border blockaders were a “hardened cell of individuals who were armed to the teeth with lethal firearms who possessed a willingness to go down with the cause,” according to Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino, noting the RCMP had informants embedded.

A segment of Freedom Convoy protesters “had other more extreme objectives” and “was much more sophisticated and organized.” This group gathered around Coventry Rd and “potentially” consisted of former military or law enforcement, Mendicino says.

Trudeau’s Minister of Public Safety Marco Mendicino says CSIS said the threshold to invoke the Emergencies Act was met “in the broader interpretation of the law.”

The commission reviews internal messages where Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino was advised not to go to the Ambassador Bridge blockade in Windsor, Ont., with the minister describing it as “solid advice.”

Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino learned of PM Trudeau’s decision to invoke the Emergencies Act “after the First Ministers meeting” and “through a series of conversations with staff and officials” sometime in the mid-afternoon on Feb. 14.

Text messages between David T. LAMETTI & Marco MENDICINO. “Bromance”

Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino talks to the commission about having to “weigh the risks” of not invoking the Emergencies Act, and states it was “utter and total mayhem… let’s call a spade a spade.”

“It was virtually impossible to enforce the law on Wellington St” during the first weekend of the Freedom Convoy, testifies Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino. The minister also recalls a few situations that apparently involved firearms.

“Your guy has really screwed the pooch”: The inquiry hears a message sent by former Alberta premier Jason Kenney to Trudeau’s ministers Mendicino, Alghabra and LeBlanc during the Freedom Convoy and Coutts border blockade.

Minister of public safety Canada Marco MENDICINO testified: “or else to see the government overthrown, resigned, suggested to me that there may be an entrenchment as time went on.”

Bendozer (Brendan MILLER) cross-examines Minister of Public Safety Marco MENDICINO. “The threshold was met in the broader interpretation of the law”

After learning the Coutts and Windsor border blockades had cleared, Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino mentions “reports of flare-ups” and that progress to end these protests “was not linear, it was very much a whack-a-mole kind of dynamic.”

Deputy Premier of Ontario Sylvia JONES allegedly said “I don’t take edicts from you, you’re not my f*cking boss” message relayed to Marco MENDICINO, minister of public safety.

Alberta’s request to use “military assets,” says Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino, caused “concern about potentially opening up the door to other requests to insert the military” into the response to the Freedom Convoy and other protests.

MINISTER DOMINIC LeBLANC, Sworn
Examination in-Chief by Ms. Shantona Chaudhury
Cross-Examination by Mr. Michael Morris
Cross-Examination by Mr. Sujit Choudhry
Cross-Examination by Mr. Hatim Kheir
Cross-Examination by Mr. Graham Reeder
Cross-Examination by Ms. Alyssa Tomkins
Cross-Examination by Ms. Rebecca Jones
Cross-Examination by Ms. Stephanie Bowes
Cross-Examination by Mr. Robert MacKinnon

JCCF lawyer cross-examines Dominic LEBLANC. “I would also remind you that the United States had a vaccine mandate with respect to truckers that the government of Canada was not able to lift.”

Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs Dominic LEBLANC shows his text messages. Text messages between #Alberta premier Jason Kenny “Your guy has really screwed the pooch. This trucker vaxx policy is obviously just dumb political theatre”

]]> https://canadianriley.com/day-28-of-public-hearings-november-22-2022-public-inquiry-for-the-invocation-of-the-emergencies-act/feed/ 0 2513 Day 27 of Public Hearings, November 21, 2022 Public Inquiry for the Invocation of the Emergencies Act https://canadianriley.com/day-27-of-public-hearings-november-21-2022-public-inquiry-for-the-invocation-of-the-emergencies-act/ https://canadianriley.com/day-27-of-public-hearings-november-21-2022-public-inquiry-for-the-invocation-of-the-emergencies-act/?noamp=mobile#respond Mon, 21 Nov 2022 22:21:23 +0000 https://canadianriley.com/?p=2509 Day 27 of the Emergencies Act Public Inquiry, David Vigneault, Canadian Security and Intelligence CSIS testified that he advised Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to invoke the Emergencies Act despite acknowledging despite stating that a threat to national security as defined by Section 2 of the CSIS Act was not met.

David Vigneault’s witness summary reads: “Mr. Vigneault explained that based on both his understanding that the Emergencies Act definition of threat to security of Canada was broader than the CSIS Act, as well as based on his opinion of everything that he had seen to that point, he advised the Prime Minister of his belief that it was indeed required to invoke the Emergencies Act.”

MR. DAVID VIGNEAULT, Affirmed
MS. MICHELLE TESSIER, Affirmed
MS. MARIE-HÉLÈNE CHAYER, Affirmed
Examination in-Chief by Mr. Gordon Cameron
Examination in-Chief by Ms. Nursa Khan
Examination in-Chief by Mr. Gordon Cameron (cont’d)
Cross-Examination by Mr. Christopher Diana
Cross-Examination by Mr. Paul Champ
Cross-Examination by Mr. Hatim Kheir
Cross-Examination by Ms. Cara Zwibel
Cross-Examination by Mr. Brendan Miller
Cross-Examination by Mr. Sujit Choudhry
Cross-Examination by Ms. Cheyenne Arnold-Cunningham
Cross-Examination by Mr. Michael Morris
Cross-Examination by Mr. Robert MacKinnon
Re-Examination by Mr. Gordon Cameron

Despite no confirmed threats to Canada, CSIS director David Vigneault says he still advised PM Trudeau to invoke the Emergencies Act, providing his opinion “as a national security adviser as opposed to the director of CSIS.”

A lawyer from the @JCCFCanada goes lists the subsections of section 2 of the CSIS Act, used to legitimize the invoking of the Emergencies Act, with CSIS director David Vigneault.

Vigneault says the Freedom Convoy didn’t rise to any of these levels.

CSIS director David Vigneault testifies the Canadian intel agency was not investigating the Freedom Convoy, telling the commission, “we are prevented by law [from] investigating protests and lawful dissent.”

CSIS director David Vigneault’s assessment provided to Trudeau’s cabinet said there was no point when “the protests in Ottawa or elsewhere constituted a threat to the security of Canada under section 2 of the CSIS Act,” the commission hears.

“Invoking the Emergencies Act could lead to some kind of violent reaction, was that not a concern?” asks a lawyer for Ottawa citizens.
“It’s absolutely [a] concern,” says CSIS director David Vigneault, describing this as an “assessment” not “advice.”

“When providing advice and information, it was based on the CSIS Act definition,” says CSIS director David Vigneault while explaining the “separate understanding” between language used in it and the Emergencies Act.

CSIS Director David Vigneault was asked by Prime Minister Trudeau for his opinion if the EMA should be invoked.

Vigneault told Trudeau “yes”

“All of these elements of unpredictability…led me to believe the regular tools were just not enough to address the situation,” says CSIS director David Vigneault as he explains the line of thinking leading up to invoking the Emergencies Act.

Judging the Freedom Convoy based on a Confederate or Nazi flags that were seen was not “nuanced in the analysis,” testifies CSIS director David Vigneault.

“This is very complex and people who are not experts may draw conclusions,” he adds.

CSIS head David Vigneault now admits recommending the #EmergenciesAct to the PM, despite public claims the protest didn’t constitute a national threat.

After having assessed no violence in multiple reports, the director of CSIS is basically saying the agency saw how eager and willing gov was to use the EA, so they felt compelled to warn them of the potential for a non-violent protest to become violent because of their actions.

MINISTER WILLIAM BLAIR, Sworn
Examination in-Chief by Mr. Gordon Cameron
Cross-Examination by Mr. Brendan Miller
Cross-Examination by Mr. David Migicovsky
Cross-Examination by Mr. Christopher Diana
Cross-Examination by Mr. Tom Curry
Cross-Examination by Ms. Alyssa Tomkins
Cross-Examination by Mr. Paul Champ
Cross-Examination by Ms. Heather Paterson
Cross-Examination by Ms. Jennifer King
Cross-Examination by Ms. Stephanie Bowes
Cross-Examination by Mr. Michael Morris
Cross-Examination by Mr. Sujit Choudhry
Cross-Examination by Mr. Rob Kittredge
Cross-Examination by Ms. Cara Zwibel
Cross-Examination by Mr. Greg Delbigio
Cross-Examination by Mr. Brendan Miller
Cross-Examination by Mr. Brendan van Niejenhuis
Re-Examination by Mr. Gordon Cameron

Serial liar @BillBlair had his dishonesty tested several times at the @POECommission
, but this one was especially hilarious…

BLAIR: “I’ve never indulged myself in feelings of embarrassment”

BLAIR: “I will tell you, the Emergencies Act has been under a very fulsome consideration right from the ***first*** day.”

There you have it. Forget Charter rights to peaceful assembly, this protest was hurting @JustinTrudeau
‘s Manhattan-sized ego and it had to end.

BLAIR: “To my experience that’s [negotiations] done at an officials level and not involving Cabinet ministers.”

Serial liar @BillBlair gets caught lying again. His colleague minister @MarcMillerVM
met with the railway blockaders the previous year.

“I’ve never seen it done better”: Emergency Preparedness Minister Bill Blair describes the joint police operation that ended the Freedom Convoy protest by force.
Blair oversaw the Toronto police’s controversial response to a G20 summit in 2010.

Bill Blair, the minister of emergency preparedness, speaks about how it was crucial the Trudeau gov’t avoid using “inflammatory language” which “could incite a more violent response” or encourage others to join the Freedom Convoy protest.

“I was concerned that inflammatory language could incite a more violent response.”

Prior to PM Trudeau calling the Convoy a “fringe minority with unacceptable views,” Bill Blair urged the government to “keep the language down” to prevent escalation.

Minister of Emergency Preparedness Bill Blair denies having heard anything about the individual seen carrying a nazi flag during the Freedom Convoy not being a protestor, but instead someone sent there for photos.

Minister of Emergency Preparedness Bill Blair says he doesn’t remember Trudeau and Minister Mendicino labeling the Freedom Convoy protestors as extremists.

After Trudeau’s are read out to him, Blair says “I not only remember it, but I agree with him.”

Bill Blair: “I’ve never indulged myself in feelings of embarrassment.”

Now would be a good time to start.

Bill Blair says the POU crackdown on the protest in Ottawa was “the most professional I’ve ever seen…totally peaceful.” This is not normal.

https://twitter.com/i/status/1594814210822873104

Bill Blair, the minister of emergency preparedness, speaks about how it was crucial the Trudeau gov’t avoid using “inflammatory language” which “could incite a more violent response” or encourage others to join the Freedom Convoy protest.

“I’ve never seen it done better”: Emergency Preparedness Minister Bill Blair describes the joint police operation that ended the Freedom Convoy protest by force.
Blair oversaw the Toronto police’s controversial response to a G20 summit in 2010.

Minister of Emergency Preparedness Bill Blair says “the Emergency Act was a measure of last resort” and that he believes “failure to resolve” the Freedom Convoy protest in Ottawa would have been “like Whack-a-Mole” shutting down border blockades.

A lawyer for the federal gov’t asks Bill Blair about the “atmosphere of lawlessness in Ottawa.”
Blair confirms this, saying this isn’t referring to “bouncy castles and hot tubs,” but situations like protesters carrying gas cans around the city.

The section of the Emergencies Act referring to a threat defined by the CSIS Act “has a broader application” according to Emergency Preparedness Minister Bill Blair.

Blair says the threat of violence existed and the convoy met the threshold to invoke the act.

During the Emergencies Act inquiry, Minister of Emergency Preparedness Bill Blair says:

“I was concerned that inflammatory language could incite a more violent response, potentially, or incite others to continue to come to the protest.”

“I believe all 3 orders of gov’t had a role and responsibility” to address the Freedom Convoy, testifies Emergency Preparedness Minister Bill Blair.

“All of us had a responsibility, all of us had a role to play and I was attempting to convene that,” Blair says.

Bill Blair reviews a commission document that refers to how the gov’t was “reconsidering” the use of all federal resources once all other options had been “exhausted” in Alberta’s attempt to end the Coutts blockade.

“Even writing municipal bylaw tickets could precipitate a violent response,” asserts Emergency Preparedness Minister Bill Blair.

When it comes to the Freedom Convoy, Blair says “we were talking about a threat of violence, not just merely the act.”

“I believe all 3 orders of gov’t had a role and responsibility” to address the Freedom Convoy, testifies Emergency Preparedness Minister Bill Blair.

“All of us had a responsibility, all of us had a role to play and I was attempting to convene that,” Blair says.

Minister Bill BLAIR: “We approached the evocation of the emergencies act with great cautions, with real reluctance. We saw it as a last resort.”

Minister Bill BLAIR testified, Ottawa police responded “Incorrectly…and based on the intelligence they had. I think allowing those trucks into the downtown core to establish themselves…was a mistake.”

Convoy lawyer Brendan MILLER (Brendozer) cross-examines minister Bill BLAIR. “I don’t agree with you.”

Minister of Emergency #Preparedness Bill Blair denies having heard anything about the individual seen carrying a nazi flag during the Freedom Convoy not being a protestor, but instead someone sent there for photos.

Minister of Emergency #Preparedness Bill Blair says he doesn’t remember Trudeau and Minister Mendicino labeling the Freedom Convoy protestors as extremists.

Miller lays out the evidence of a preordained plan to use Jews & antisemitism as truncheon against the Trucker movement
Bill Blair falls all over himself declaring his bona fides in regard to Jewish suffering

]]> https://canadianriley.com/day-27-of-public-hearings-november-21-2022-public-inquiry-for-the-invocation-of-the-emergencies-act/feed/ 0 2509 Day 26 of Public Hearings, November 18, 2022 Public Inquiry for the Invocation of the Emergencies Act https://canadianriley.com/day-26-of-public-hearings-november-18-2022-public-inquiry-for-the-invocation-of-the-emergencies-act/ https://canadianriley.com/day-26-of-public-hearings-november-18-2022-public-inquiry-for-the-invocation-of-the-emergencies-act/?noamp=mobile#respond Fri, 18 Nov 2022 16:41:56 +0000 https://canadianriley.com/?p=2427 Day 26 of the Emergencies Act Public Inquiry testimony revealed that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau invoked the Emergencies Act on the advice of the Clerk of the Privy Council, and not based on a detailed threat assessment of the Freedom Convoy by law enforcement authorities.

Janice Charette, Clerk of the Privy Council, described the document Justin Trudeau signed to adopt the emergency powers. It was titled, Memorandum for the Prime Minister: Invoking the Emergencies Act to End Nation-Wide Protests and Blockades.

The document lays out the history of the Emergencies Act, the legal threshold required for the government to invoke it and Charette’s opinions as to why it was justified. The document was provided to the Prime Minister on February 14th.

MS. JANICE CHARETTE, Sworn
MS. NATHALIE DROUIN, Affirmed
Examination in-Chief by Ms. Shantona Chaudhury
Cross-Examination by Mr. Brendan Miller
Cross-Examination by Mr. Mitch McAdam
Cross-Examination by Mr. Sujit Choudhry
Cross-Examination by Mr. Alan Honner
Cross-Examination by Ms. Ewa Krajewska
Cross-Examination by Ms. Alyssa Tomkins
Cross-Examination by Ms. Christine Johnson
Cross-Examination by Ms. Jinan Kubursi
Cross-Examination by Mr. Thomas McRae
Cross-Examination by Ms. Stephanie Bowes

It’s shocking to watch Janice Charette, clerk of the privy council and the highest ranking bureaucrat in the federal government, rewriting the legal threshold for invoking the Emergencies Act as she’s testifying. Her definition does not match the statutory requirement of the act.

Privy Council Clerk Janice Charette provides a new definition of a national security threat after failing to meet thresholds under the CSIS Act.

“What was being seen in other parts of the world were protests with trucks with Canadian flags on them. The PM was getting questions.”

Privy Council Clerk Janice Charette says there is a legal threshold [as per the CSIS Act] to be met for invoking the EA, but that there is also a “policy context,” which they made up out of thin air.

“We were looking at a range of factors including trust in our institutions.”

Alan Honner from @TDF_Can
asks cabinet secretary Janice Charette which “external stakeholders” the federal gov’t relied on for information to support invoking the Emergencies Act.

Clerk of the Privy Council Janice Charette says cabinet was briefed “that there were tools and authorities in many organizations that had not been fully deployed” prior to invoking the Emergencies Act.

To justify use of EA, Janice Charette, Trudeau’s privy council clerk, finally said something I agree with. Economic security is correlated with the “ability to maintain & operate secure borders.”
Wait til she hears about Roxham Road and vaccine mandates.

Cabinet secretary Janice Charette recalls the Trudeau gov’ts mindset after introducing a cross-border vax mandate for truckers, telling the commission that “Canadians were kind of getting a bit fed up with the restrictions and measures.”

The Clerk of the Privy Council Janice Charette confirms that cabinet was made aware of concerns from CSIS that invoking the Emergencies Act could make things worse and inflame tensions between protesters and law enforcement.

“It was my view that we met the test of the definition in the CSIS Act” which justified invoking the Emergencies Act, cabinet secretary Janice Charette says, noting the Freedom Convoy was “getting worse and worse” after its arrival in Ottawa.

Cabinet secretary Janice Charette details how the gov’t had been hearing about plans being developed to end the Freedom Convoy and other protests, but by the 3rd weekend hadn’t seen any action to end the “horrific situation” in Ottawa.

The seizure of firearms at the Coutts blockade led to the finalizing of plans to invoke the never-before-used Emergencies Act, testifies Trudeau’s cabinet secretary, Janice Charette.

Describing the Coutts border blockade as “complex,” cabinet secretary Janice Charette says the weapons seized there “indicated a seriousness and a scale of the illegal activity” protesters were considering.

Cabinet secretary Janice Charette explains the apparent layers of threats the Freedom Convoy presented, noting the “incredibly violent rhetoric” posted online and remarking that the protest was “very well financed.”

Janice CHARETTE & Nathalie DROUIN (Privy Council Office)

“January 6…I hope I never see here.”

The Freedom Convoy and other protests amounted to “a national emergency, it was urgent, it was critical,” says cabinet secretary Janice Charette while testifying on the Trudeau government’s decision to invoke the Emergencies Act.

Cabinet secretary Janice Charette recalls the Trudeau gov’ts mindset after introducing a cross-border vax mandate for truckers, telling the commission that “Canadians were kind of getting a bit fed up with the restrictions and measures.”

Describing the Coutts border blockade as “complex,” cabinet secretary Janice Charette says the weapons seized there “indicated a seriousness and a scale of the illegal activity” protesters were considering.

DS JACQUELINE BOGDEN, Affirmed
MR. JEFFERY HUTCHINSON, Sworn
Examination in-Chief by Ms. Shantona Chaudhury
Cross-Examination by Mr. Alan Honner
Cross-Examination by Mr. Brendan Miller
Cross-Examination by Mr. David Migicovsky
Cross-Examination by Ms. Jennifer King
Cross-Examination by Mr. Mitch McAdam
Cross-Examination by Ms. Stephanie Bowes
Cross-Examination by Mr. Robert MacKinnon

Privy Council Deputy Clerk Nathalie Drouin explains that CSIS assessments on national security threats don’t really matter.

“A movement can represent a threat to the security of Canada without having individuals or groups in it that do meet the threshold of CSIS.”

Counter-protesters and Ottawa residents seeking injunctions against the Freedom Convoy were two reasons the Emergencies Act was invoked, says Justice Department official Nathalie Drouin. “That is, for us, a beginning of a symptom that something worse can happen.”

Despite the Freedom Convoy protest targeting the federal gov’t, Nathalie Drouin, deputy minister of the Dept. of Justice, says that on the ground, the RCMP “didn’t have jurisdiction to address the situation” prior to invoking the Emergencies Act.

“The impact on the economy was an impact on the people,” says Dept. of Justice Deputy Minister Nathalie Drouin as she discloses the Trudeau govt’s rationale for hastily invoking the never-before-used Emergencies Act.

What about lockdowns?

Nathalie DROUIN (Privy Council Office) testified again about the emergency act and its relation to section 2 of the CSIS act.

Chair: “are you coming to a question, or making a presentation?”

Nathalie DROUIN (Privy Council Office) explains to Convoy Lawyer Brendan MILLER the emergencies act and its relation to section 2 of the CSIS act.

“national security is not the result/assessment of one agency”

Janice Charette & Nathalie DROUIN (Privy Council Office)

Lawyer: “we don’t see that because it’s redacted.”

]]> https://canadianriley.com/day-26-of-public-hearings-november-18-2022-public-inquiry-for-the-invocation-of-the-emergencies-act/feed/ 0 2427 Day 25 of Public Hearings, November 17, 2022 Public Inquiry for the Invocation of the Emergencies Act https://canadianriley.com/day-25-of-public-hearings-november-17-2022-public-inquiry-for-the-invocation-of-the-emergencies-act/ https://canadianriley.com/day-25-of-public-hearings-november-17-2022-public-inquiry-for-the-invocation-of-the-emergencies-act/?noamp=mobile#respond Thu, 17 Nov 2022 16:41:36 +0000 https://canadianriley.com/?p=2425 Day 25 of the Emergencies Act Public Inquiry, Finance Canada confirmed that Canadian banks took measures to freeze bank accounts at their discretion without receiving information from the RCMP.

Deputy Minister of Finance Canada Michael Sabia testified Thursday morning, alongside two assistant deputy ministers, Isabelle Jacques, who oversees financial security, and Rhys Mendes, who oversees economic policy.

The witnesses explained the process by which banks went about freezing the accounts of Freedom Convoy protesters based on the emergency measures drafted by Finance Canada.

ADM ISABELLE JACQUES, Sworn
DM MICHAEL SABIA, Sworn
ADM RHYS MENDES, Sworn
Examination in-Chief by Gordon Cameron
Examination in-Chief by Ms. Dahlia Shuhaibar
Examination in-Chief by Gordon Cameron(cont’d)
Cross-Examination by Mr. Brendan Miller
Cross-Examination by Ms. Ewa Krajewska
Cross-Examination by Mr. Sujit Choudhry
Cross-Examination by Mr. Graham Reeder
Cross-Examination by Mr. Michael Morris
Cross-Examination by Mr. Hatim Kheir
Cross-Examination by Ms. Stephanie Bowes
Cross-Examination by Ms. Christine Johnson
Cross-Examination by Mr. Tom McRae
Cross-Examination by Mr. Stephen Aylward
Re-Examination by Mr. Gordon Cameron

Deputy Minister of Finance Michael Sabia struggles to answer whether political donations are protected under freedom of expression Charter rights.

Finance panel claims they are not aware of any cases of mistaken identity in regards to protestors who had their bank accounts frozen. If the banks acted independently and outside of law enforcement as we have heard during testimony, how would they know?

This Deputy Minister of Finance being crossed by Freedom Convoy lawyer Brendan Miller definitely learned from his boss, Chrystia Freeland, how not to answer easy questions.

Assistant deputy finance minister Isabelle Jacques says some banks unilaterally froze bank accounts under the Emergencies Act without receiving any information from law enforcement.

Deputy Finance Minister Michael Sabia says he didn’t consider long term financial implications such as ruined credit scores an intended consequence of freezing bank accounts.

“If that had been an intended consequence, that would have been a form of extra-legal sanction.”

Assistant deputy minister of finance Isabelle Jacques testifies that banks froze accounts of protesters without any information from the RCMP.

Convoy protesters’ family members had bank accounts frozen, meaning they couldn’t buy things like groceries. Finance Dept. official Isabelle Jacques says “maybe some people were impacted, but…our focus was certainly on these people” involved in the Freedom Convoy.

When asked who takes responsibility for freezing the bank accounts of Freedom Convoy protesters, assistant deputy minister of finance Isabelle Jacques says that freezing the bank accounts “was quite a feat.”

Dept. of Finance official Isabelle Jacques provides more details on the directions provided to banks to freeze protesters accounts after the Emergencies Act was invoked.

Assistant Deputy Minister for Finance Isabelle Jacques speaks on her involvement in the drafting of the Emergency Economic Measures Order and claims that it was on banks to freeze accounts. “Ultimately it was their responsibility.”

Deputy Minister of Finance Michael Sabia struggles to answer whether political donations are protected under freedom of expression Charter rights.

Deputy Finance Minister Michael Sabia says he didn’t consider long term financial implications such as ruined credit scores an intended consequence of freezing bank accounts.

“If that had been an intended consequence, that would have been a form of extra-legal sanction.”

Watch as the deputy minister of finance Michael Sabia gladly accepts responsibility for freezing the bank accounts of Freedom Convoy protesters.

“Who froze the bank accounts?”
“We set the policy. And we are accountable for that policy.”

Canada’s deputy minister of finance Michael Sabia takes responsibility for freezing the bank accounts of Freedom Convoy protesters.

Counsel for the @POECommission
rips into former Bell CEO Michael Sabia, now Trudeau’s Deputy Finance Minister, for the despotic financial measures he put in place to punish anyone protesting his pal Justin, which captured everything from their family to child support payments

Deputy Minister of Finance Michael Sabia says to the commission, “there were no accounts from donors that were frozen,” and goes on to disregard effects on credit histories as “an issue for the financial institutions.”

Convoy Lawyer Brendan Miller asks deputy minister of finance Michael Sabia if freezing bank accounts infringes on Charter rights to freedom of expression.

If Freedom Convoy protesters didn’t want their bank accounts frozen, well, “It was a very simple solution: all you had to do was leave.”

This is how Deputy Finance Minister Michael Sabia justified the extreme measure enacted by the Canadian government.

Deputy Finance Minister Michael Sabia describing the Department of Finance’s actions throughout the protests: “We were able to avoid some potentially very, very serious consequences, for in effect millions of people.”

“There are real human consequences to these numbers.” At the POEC, Deputy Finance Minister Michael Sabia describes the economic hardship that individuals suffered as a result of the disruptions.

With the US pursuing “build back better” policies, Deputy Finance Minister Michael Sabia says protests like the Freedom Convoy “raise issues around the reliability of Canada as a trading partner — significant issues” in the Canada-US relationship.

Convoy Lawyer Brendan Miller asks deputy minister of finance Michael Sabia if freezing bank accounts infringes on Charter rights to freedom of expression.

Deputy Minister of Finance Michael Sabia says to the commission, “there were no accounts from donors that were frozen,” and goes on to disregard effects on credit histories as “an issue for the financial institutions.”

Deputy Finance Minister Michael Sabia comments on the Department of Finance’s discussions with bank officials prior to the invocation. “The EA was nothing more than an option at that point.”

“I think it’s reasonable to assume at least part of that was due to the blockades.”

Rhys Mendes, an official from the Dept. of Finance, tells the commission that a decrease in economic prosperity was because of the Freedom Convoy and related protests.

Justice Rouleau asks the finance panel for their final thoughts, says he appreciates their testimony even though it is biased.

MS. JODY THOMAS, Sworn
Examination in-Chief by Ms. Shatona Chaudhury
Cross-Examination by Mr. Brendan Miller
Cross-Examination by Ms. Anne Tardif
Cross-Examination by Mr. David Migcovsky
Cross-Examination by Ms. Cara Zwibel
Cross-Examination by Ms. Rebecca Jones
Cross-Examination by Mr. Rob Kittredge
Cross-Examination by Mr. Thomas McRae
Cross-Examination by Ms. Jennifer King
Cross-Examination by Mr. Michael Morris
Cross-Examination by Ms. Jinan Kubursi
Cross-Examination by Ms. Donnaree Nygard

Trudeau’s national security advisor Jody Thomas described the Freedom Convoy protest as a “national security threat” and that protesters “do not care about or understand democracy.”

National Security Advisor to the Prime Minister Jody Thomas recalls a “change in tone” and that protesters had gotten “bolder” after bouncy castles were placed and a “wrecking ball” was attached to a crane.

The Trudeau gov’t can consider threats “more broadly” than the intel by the country’s spy agency, CSIS, “in determining a national security threat or situation or public order emergency,” says national security adviser Jody Thomas.

When asked about the escalation and boldness of protesters, Trudeau’s national security advisor Jody Thomas talks about ….wait for it… bouncy castles!

Jody Thomas testifies that CSIS was not allowed to surveil the protest which at that time was considered lawful. It was “sensitive.”

“With the media reporting that there were probably some people who had other than peaceful intentions, what was CSIS going to do about that?”

Privy Council Office/National security advisor Jody THOMAS is cross-examined by Brendan MILLER.

“I just said to you. That we should not be doing that and so we have to find a legal framework for it. We are actually violently agreeing.”

Are threats to officials on social media the police’s response or a national emergency, asks convoy lawyer Brendan Miller.

Nat’l sec adviser Jody Thomas says “it depends on the situation.”

Trudeau gov’t national security adviser Jody Thomas described Ottawa as “the city of protests,” noting social media posts suggested it might be more than a simple protest. She testifies “the accountable agencies” expected the Freedom Convoy to big but manageable.

Transcripts presented to the commission highlight how national security adviser Jody Thomas learned of arrests at the Coutts blockade from the media, not directly from the RCMP.

National security adviser Jody Thomas testifies that from observations suggested the Freedom Convoy was becoming increasingly aggressive, noting “We saw things like the wrecking ball on Wellington St by then.”

Privy Council Office/National security advisor Jody THOMAS summarizes the convoy, Russia, and disinformation.

The Trudeau gov’t can consider threats “more broadly” than the intel by the country’s spy agency, CSIS, “in determining a national security threat or situation or public order emergency,” says national security adviser Jody Thomas.

National security adviser Jody Thomas testifies that from observations suggested the Freedom Convoy was becoming increasingly aggressive, noting “We saw things like the wrecking ball on Wellington St by then.”

]]> https://canadianriley.com/day-25-of-public-hearings-november-17-2022-public-inquiry-for-the-invocation-of-the-emergencies-act/feed/ 0 2425 Day 24 of Public Hearings, November 16, 2022 Public Inquiry for the Invocation of the Emergencies Act https://canadianriley.com/day-24-of-public-hearings-november-16-2022-public-inquiry-for-the-invocation-of-the-emergencies-act/ https://canadianriley.com/day-24-of-public-hearings-november-16-2022-public-inquiry-for-the-invocation-of-the-emergencies-act/?noamp=mobile#respond Wed, 16 Nov 2022 16:41:00 +0000 https://canadianriley.com/?p=2423 Day 24 of the Emergencies Act Public Inquiry, internal Statistics Canada documents released revealed that border blockades “had little impact” on Canadian trade in the month February. 

The document, which was produced in April by Statistics Canada, suggests that despite the blockades at the Ambassador Bridge in Windsor, Ontario, Coutts, Alberta, Emerson, Manitoba, and the Pacific Highway in British Columbia, the impact to Canada’s trade imports and exports were minimal.

MR. JOHN OSSOWSKI, Affirmed
Examination in-Chief by Ms. Alexandra Heine
Examination in-Chief by Mr. Gordon Cameron
Cross-Examination by Mr. Brendan Miller
Cross-Examination by Ms. Jennifer King
Cross-Examination by Ms. Stephanie Bowes
Cross-Examination by Ms. Jinan Kubursi
Cross-Examination by Mr. Hatim Kheir
Cross-Examination by Ms. Andrea Gonsalves
Re-Examination by Mr. Gordon Cameron

Miller: They [government] have been saying in public that law enforcement agencies advised them that the threshold for invoking the act was met. What law enforcement agency advised them of that?

Ossowski: I’m not aware of who provided that advice.

Miller: Neither are we.

Former CBSA President John Ossowski on CBSA officers having the capacity to preemptively turn protestors away from border crossings:

“Well, it wasn’t an unlawful protest at that point in time… before the Emergencies Act, right?”

Ah yes, it was a legal protest. Until the emergencies act. It was illegal after that. Thanks for clearing that up, John Ossowski. let’s think on that one for a moment…

https://twitter.com/i/status/1592921641671352320

Despite being involved in cabinet meetings and incident response group meetings with the government, CBSA president John Ossowski says he is unaware of any law enforcement agencies that advised the government the threshold for invoking the Emergencies Act was met.

The former president of the CBSA, John Ossowski, says he was “very proud of the way the organization responded” to border blockades across the country during the Freedom Convoy protest.

“Several disruptive activities continued well after the invocation of the act,” says former CBSA president John Ossowski while addressing other protests and slow-rolls near border crossings.

John OSSOWSKI, the former head of the CBSA testified:

RE: Foreign nationals coming into Canada to join the ‘protest’

“but, there were people that came in, that met all the requirements and could’ve gone to the protest.”

DM MICHAEL KEENAN, Sworn
MR. CHRISTIAN DEA, Sworn
Examination in-Chief by Mr. Gordon Cameron
Examination in-Chief by Mr. Stephen Armstrong
Examination in-Chief by Mr. Gordon Cameron (cont’d)
Cross-Examination by Ms. Cara Zwibel
Cross-Examination by Mr. Brendan Miller
Cross-Examination by Mr. Daniel Chomski
Cross-Examination by Ms. Jessica Barrow
Cross-Examination by Ms. Jennifer King
Cross-Examination by Ms. Stephanie Bowes
Cross-Examination by Mr. Mitch McAdam
Cross-Examination by Mr. Nikolas De Stefano
Cross-Examination by Mr. Hatim Kheir
Cross-Examination by Ms. Andrea Gonsalves

During the Freedom Convoy protest, Transport Canada staff were trying to find operators for tow trucks.”It turns out that you don’t have, in the gov’t, people who have that particular skillset,” says Deputy Minister Michael Keenan.

Border blockades during the Freedom Convoy put “the health and safety of Canadians at risk” and hurt “investment confidence,” which put “future really good, high-paying jobs at risk,” says Transport Canada Deputy Minister Michael Keenan.

Deputy Minister Michael Keenan explains the role Transport Canada played in the Emergencies Act, which included arranging tow trucks and assessing economic impacts plus other background analysis.

Deputy Minister Michael Keenan tells the commission that Transport Canada didn’t buy tow trucks “because of the problem Alberta ran into.”
Namely, the lack of trained operators for these vehicles.

]]> https://canadianriley.com/day-24-of-public-hearings-november-16-2022-public-inquiry-for-the-invocation-of-the-emergencies-act/feed/ 0 2423 Day 23 of Public Hearings, November 15, 2022 Public Inquiry for the Invocation of the Emergencies Act https://canadianriley.com/day-23-of-public-hearings-november-15-2022-public-inquiry-for-the-invocation-of-the-emergencies-act/ https://canadianriley.com/day-23-of-public-hearings-november-15-2022-public-inquiry-for-the-invocation-of-the-emergencies-act/?noamp=mobile#respond Tue, 15 Nov 2022 16:40:27 +0000 https://canadianriley.com/?p=2420 Day 23 of the Emergencies Act Public Inquiry, documents revealed that RCMP Commissioner Brenda Lucki had a plan to clear Freedom Convoy protesters from Ottawa without the use of the Emergencies Act, but it was never communicated to cabinet prior to the invocation of the Act.

Brenda Lucki’s testimony focused on her communication with the federal government throughout the protest to determine whether the RCMP had exhausted all available law enforcement tools before the invocation and whether that had been clearly communicated to cabinet. 

D/COMM MICHAEL DUHEME, Sworn
COMM BRENDA LUCKI, Sworn
Examination in-Chief by Mr. Gordon Cameron
Cross-Examination by Mr. Brendan Miller
Cross-Examination by Mr. Christopher Diana
Cross-Examination by Mr. David Migicovsky
Cross-Examination by Mr. Tom Curry
Cross-Examination by Ms. Ewa Krajewska
Cross-Examination by Ms. Anne Tardif
Cross-Examination by Mr. Michael Morris
Cross-Examination by Ms. Nini Jones
Cross-Examination by Mr. Alan Honner
Cross-Examination by Ms. Janani Shanmuganathan
Cross-Examination by Ms. Cheyenne Arnold-Cunningham
Cross-Examination by Mr. Graham Reeder
Cross-Examination by Ms. Donnaree Nygard
Re-Examination by Mr. Gordon Cameron

Evidence shows Emergency Preparedness Minister Bill Blair discussed “throwing Ottawa [Ottawa Police Services] under the bus” with RCMP Deputy Commissioner Michael Duheme.

RCMP Deputy Commissioner Michael Duheme says he “didn’t have any concerns” over the Freedom Convoy because he thought Ottawa police “had everything under control” as the Freedom Convoy was arriving in Ottawa.

The Emergencies Act did not affect the setting up of “control access zones,” which had previously been used successfully to control crowds in Ottawa, testifies RCMP Deputy Commissioner Michael Duheme.

Michael Duheme and Brenda Lucki of the RCMP speak about how requests for resources were always met. “Any requests that we got from the Ottawa Police Service, we had fulfilled.”

When asked if she was aware that CSIS told cabinet that the Freedom Convoy did not constitute a national security threat, RCMP Commissioner Brenda Lucki said, “that’s what I have been told.”

RCMP’s Brenda Lucki “Our mandate is understanding why the protest is happening in the first place and try to connect with the organizers”. Yet not a single lawyer at the @POECommission asked Lucki why she never tried to connect with one of the organizers, a 15-year former RCMP.

RCMP Commissioner Brenda Lucki testifies that she did not officially brief the Prime Minister on the plan approved by OPS, OPP, and RCMP to clear trucks from downtown Ottawa days before the Emergencies Act was invoked.

RCMP Commissioner Brenda Lucki testifies “that’s what she’s been told” when Freedom Convoy lawyer Brendan Miller asks if she was aware CSIS felt the convoy didn’t justify invoking the Emergencies Act.

RCMP Commissioner Brenda Lucki details enforcement action that was strategized, saying that some truckers and protesters wanted to leave but weren’t in a position that allowed them to. “Those people, we actually tried to make arrangements when the time came.”

Freedom Convoy lawyer Brendan Miller presses RCMP Commissioner Brenda Lucki about previous pressure she faced to allegedly assist with a federal gov’t narrative on gun control following the 2020 Nova Scotia mass shooting.

Brenda Lucki of the RCMP is asked by the commission whether or not she had communicated with officials her thoughts on using the Emergencies Act. Her notes state that the EA can “provide additional deterrent tools to our existing toolbox.”

Brenda LUCKI & Mike DUHEME –
Internal emails between Canada’s Federal Police (RCMP) are discussed.

“This is about a national threat to national interest and institutions. By people who do not care about or understand democracy.”

D/COMM CURTIS ZABLOCKI, Sworn
Examination in-Chief by Mr. Gordon Cameron
Cross-Examination by Ms. Stephanie Bowes
Cross-Examination by Mr. Brendan Miller
Cross-Examination by Mr. Alan Honner
Cross-Examination by Ms. Donnaree Nygard
Re-Examination by Mr. Gordon Cameron

TDF questioned RCMP Deputy Commissioner Curtis Zablocki about vaccine mandates and why tow truck companies from the US refused or weren’t able to come into Canada to help clear the blockade in Coutts.

Alberta RCMP Deputy Commissioner Curtis ZABLOCKI testifies, The RCMP and Alberta government requested towing assistance from the Canadian Armed Forces.

RCMP Deputy Commissioner Curtis Zablocki gives insight into precautions police took when they heard a slow-roll protest was heading to Coutts, Alberta.

“We were also planning for potentially a blockade as well,” he says.

Alberta RCMP Deputy Commissioner Curtis ZABLOCKI talks more about the Coutts “alleged” murder plot.

“13 long guns, two handguns, two sets of body armour, machete, and significant quantity of ammunition”

]]> https://canadianriley.com/day-23-of-public-hearings-november-15-2022-public-inquiry-for-the-invocation-of-the-emergencies-act/feed/ 0 2420 Day 22 of Public Hearings, November 14, 2022 Public Inquiry for the Invocation of the Emergencies Act https://canadianriley.com/day-22-of-public-hearings-november-14-2022-public-inquiry-for-the-invocation-of-the-emergencies-act/ https://canadianriley.com/day-22-of-public-hearings-november-14-2022-public-inquiry-for-the-invocation-of-the-emergencies-act/?noamp=mobile#respond Mon, 14 Nov 2022 16:39:51 +0000 https://canadianriley.com/?p=2418 Day 22 of the Emergencies Act Public Inquiry, the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) told the federal cabinet that the Freedom Convoy did not constitute a threat to national security one day before to the invocation of the Emergencies Act.

The former deputy minister for public safety Rob Stewart confirmed that CSIS advised the federal cabinet that the Freedom Convoy did not pose a national security threat.

DM ROBERT STEWART, Affirmed
ADM DOMINIC ROCHON, Affirmed
Examination in-Chief by Ms. Shantona Chaudhury
Cross-Examination by Mr. Brendan Miller
Cross-Examination by Ms. Anne Tardif
Cross-Examination by Ms. Jessica Barrow
Cross-Examination by Mr. Tom Curry
Cross-Examination by Ms. Emilie Taman
Cross-Examination by Mr. Christopher Diana
Cross-Examination by Ms. Stephanie Bowes
Cross-Examination by Ms. Cara Zwibel
Cross-Examination by Ms. Janani Shanmuganathan
Cross-Examination by Ms. Jennifer King
Cross-Examination by Mr. Mitch McAdam
Cross-Examination by Mr. Rob Kittredge
Cross-Examination by Ms. Colleen McKeown
Cross-Examination by Ms. Cheyenne Arnold-Cunningham
Cross-Examination by Mr. Robert MacKinnon
Re-Examination by Ms. Shantona Chaudhury

The Emergencies Act relies on the CSIS Act to define security threats.

Former deputy public safety minister Rob Stewart confirms CSIS advised cabinet “there did not exist a threat to the security of Canada” as defined by the CSIS Act.

Deputy public safety minister Rob Stewart testifies that no law enforcement agencies were advised by the federal government about the Emergencies Act invocation.

Addressing the infamous honking associated with the Freedom Convoy, Deputy Public Safety Minister Rob Stewart says, “there was quite a bit of honking on the highway but we did not assume that they would do anything other than peacefully protest.”

Freedom Convoy lawyer Brendan Miller roasts Rob Stewart, a Public Safety Canada official, on the fed’s dismissal of CSIS intel recommending the gov’t not invoke the Emergencies Act.

“The lack of good intel” was “underneath the rational” for invoking the Emergencies Act, testifies Rob Stewart, the deputy minister of Public Safety Canada.

During review of comms between Rob Stewart, the federal deputy public safety minister, and multiple levels of police, Stewart states that “negotiation is the ongoing preferred option” to resolve the Freedom Convoy protest.

The Emergencies Act is “generally considered to be a tool of last resort,” says Rob Stewart, the deputy public safety minister.

Stewart describes the act as one of many tools in governments’ toolkits.

“The focus on violent extremism has shifted from coming from abroad to domestic.” DM of Public Safety Rob Stewart speaks on the subject of terrorism highlighted in a document provided by the commission.

Emergencies Act: “necessary” or just “useful”?

The act gave “useful tools” to police, says Rob Stewart, deputy public safety minister, adding when the act was invoked and enforcement begun, “the protests diminished and that goes beyond useful.”

Dominic Rochon, a public safety official, addresses the monitoring of white supremacy and how the government lists “Ideologically Motivated Violent Extremism” as “the top priority at the moment.”

Public Safety Canada official Dominic Rochon details the threats CSIS took into consideration with the Freedom Convoy, noting “we’re seeing more and more that a lone wolf, a lone actor, can actually perpetrate an extremist violent event.”

ADM CYNTHIA TERMORSHUIZEN, Affirmed
MR. JOSEPH COMARTIN, Sworn
Examination in-Chief by Ms. Shantona Chaudhury
Examination in-Chief by Ms. Dahlia Shuhaibar

Global Affairs official Cindy Termorshuizen states there was growing concern caused by stories published about the Freedom Convoy protest, citing “assaults on the streets, unlawful conduct, unwillingness to comply with injunctions and so on.”

Global Affairs Canada Cindy TERMORSHUIZEN talks about how the freedom convoy was successfully manipulated by disinformation relating to COVID-19 of foreign actors seeking to destabilize our democracies.

Two officials from Global Affairs Canada tell the commission about the concerns the White House expressed over the Ambassador Bridge blockade in Windsor, Ont.

Global Affairs Canada Cindy TERMORSHUIZEN talks about how the freedom convoy was manipulated by disinformation relating to COVID-19.

“The concern was some of the activities.. were illegal.”

“Ottawa 9-1-1 number being flooded and many of the callers were actually from the United States and prevented Ottawa emergency services from appropriately doing their work”

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