Thu. Dec 26th, 2024

Day 9 of the Emergencies Act hearings, evidence was presented to the commission showing that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s cabinet had a plan for the federal government to meet with protesters the same day that he invoked the Emergencies Act.

Marcel Beaudin, an inspector and lead negotiator with the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) revealed that he was asked to assess a proposal that he had worked on with the RCMP to have a federal representative meet with convoy leaders before Trudeau’s invocation.

INSP. RUSSELL LUCAS, Sworn
Examination in-Chief by Mr. Misha Boutilier
Cross-Examination by Ms. Rebecca Jones
Cross-Examination by Ms. Anne Tardif
Cross-Examination by Ms. Christine Johnson
Cross-Examination by Mr. Stephen Aylward
Cross-Examination by Ms. Bath-Sheba Van den Berg
Cross-Examination by Ms. Lauren Pearce
Cross-Examination by Ms. Jessica Barrow
Cross-Examination by Mr. Misha Boutilier

Russell Lucas’ Ottawa police Inspector, response when asked if the protest was unprecedented says: “The topics of mandates, restrictions, vaccinations is an extremely divisive topic, I’ve seen it in my own family.”

On the deal to move trucks onto Wellington Street: Russell Lucas, OPS Inspector testifies that Ottawa police knew there was still space on Wellington Street to relocate trucks out of residential areas.

OPS Inspector Russell Lucas discusses “disinformation and misinformation and its impact on the policing of the Freedom Convoy” “creating a different narrative that you are trying to deal with” eg: “they are fortifying Parliament Hill”

Russell Lucas testifying on deescalation tactics and that the idea that police supported convoy was misinformation: “If that means taking a picture with them, that’s what we encourage our officers to do.”

ACTING SUPT. MARCEL BEAUDIN, Affirmed
Examination in-Chief by Mr. Eric Brousseau
Cross-Examination by Mr. Tom Curry
Cross-Examination by Ms. Andrea Gonsalves
Cross-Examination by Mr. Brendan Miller
Cross-Examination by Mr. David Migicovsky
Cross-Examination by Ms. Alyssa Tomkins
Cross-Examination by Ms. Emilie Taman
Cross-Examination by Mr. Hatim Kheir
Cross-Examination by Ms. Cara Zwibel

On Marcel Beaudin negotiation proposal to end the protest: Freedom Convoy lawyer Brendan Miller tells OPP that their negotiation proposal was presented to the federal government before the Emergencies Act was invoked.

Shocking moment during the Inquiry when Marcel Beaudin, OPP, learned that his negotiations proposal to peacefully end the Ottawa protest was presented to the Federal Government right before they invoked the Emergencies Act.

On the negotiation proposal to end the protest peacefully: Marcel Beaudin, Leader of OPP negotiation team, testified that the Deputy Minister of Public Safety abruptly stopped a meeting with Freedom Convoy organizers.

When clearing out the protest Rouleau asked OPP’s Marcel Beaudin if there is somewhere where protestors can remain peacefully protesting. Marcel Beaudin responded there wasn’t “there was a dire need to clear and regain those streets, to return to a state of normalcy.”

OPP Inspector Marcel Beaudin claims that there had been discussions and acknowledgement of potential meetings between the OPP and Freedom Convoy organizers.

OPP Inspector Marcel Beaudin testifies that the grievances are not policing issues that there are issues with the Government. There is limited capacity for a police solution to the protest without the government allowing protesters to have “win of sorts” to their grievances.

SUPT. ROBERT BERNIER, Sworn
Examination in-Chief by Mr. Frank Au

Robert Bernier OPS describes the the police action against the Freedom Convoy on Rideau and Sussex in front of the Chateau Laurier on Feb 18. “We had to make some decisions to increase our usage of force in order to protect ourselves.”

Ottawa Police Superintendent Robert Bernier testifies they had plans to take action to end the protests that didn’t require the Emergencies Act, and before the Emergencies Act was invoked “The plan that I was developing was based on existing authorities.”

Ottawa Police Superintendent Robert Bernier testifies that the Emergencies Act was not needed to compel tow trucks because they already had 34 tow trucks on their way to Ottawa on the 13th of February.

If they leave, how do we keep those areas from being reoccupied again?”

Ottawa police Supt. Robert Bernier explains that officers emphasized their presence on the ground to deter any further occupations.

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