麻豆影视

Politics

    • Bad political blood played into Ottawa's 'Freedom Convoy' response, inquiry hears

    Share
    OTTAWA -

    Bad political blood appears to have been running hot through the crisis response to the "Freedom Convoy" that gridlocked Canada's capital city, the testimony of the city's former police board chair revealed Wednesday.

    And new evidence suggests that police forces were planning ahead for a weeks-long event even as Ottawa's then-chief of police privately speculated that they'd be gone after a couple of days.

    Rivalries played out within city council, the federal government and the police service as Ottawa's downtown streets were occupied by protesters in February, Coun. Diane Deans told the public inquiry examining the federal government's unprecedented use of the Emergencies Act.

    She even suggested that a bad relationship between then-police chief Peter Sloly and federal Emergency Preparedness Minister Bill Blair could have caused delays in police reinforcements arriving in Ottawa, according to a written summary of an interview she gave to the commission in August.

    "That old maxim about never wasting a good crisis? It also presents an opportunity to settle some old scores," Deans testified at an in-person hearing on Wednesday.

    Deans said her own conflict with Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson "impeded" their ability to work together, and she felt he had shown animosity toward her.

    As the situation came to a head in the final days of the protest and Sloly stepped down as chief, Deans secretly recorded a conversation with the mayor in which they disagreed over plans to replace him.

    In an audio recording played at the inquiry, Watson denied knowing about any effort to oust Deans and said he hadn't decided yet whether he would support a no-confidence vote.

    He ultimately voted to remove her later that evening, during a heated council meeting.

    In the lead-up to those events, Deans told the inquiry that she was sometimes left in the dark by city officials about their liaisons with the federal and provincial governments. "We all needed to be on the same team."

    And before his departure, Deans said that Sloly described infighting within the ranks of the Ottawa Police Service, and she perceived "an intent to use this crisis to undermine the chief."

    The convoy of trucks and protesters began arriving in Ottawa on Jan. 28 and gridlocked the downtown core near Parliament Hill for nearly three weeks. The city declared an emergency Feb. 6, the province followed suit five days later and the federal government invoked the Emergencies Act on Feb. 14.

    Sloly resigned as police chief a day later because of what Deans described as pressure from the public, city hall and within the police service itself. There was "some sort of insurrection from within that was happening," Deans said.

    City council colleagues had planned to table a motion to formally ask for Sloly's resignation. Meanwhile, CBC News had published a report citing unnamed sources who alleged Sloly "belittled and berated" senior police officers.

    Deans said that she and the police services board never lost confidence in Sloly. But she said they never felt they were given a full picture of the evolving intelligence situation, even during confidential meetings 鈥 and she took Sloly "at his word" that the information wasn't available.

    Documents filed with the Public Order Emergency Commission show that Sloly told the board trucks arriving in Ottawa the weekend of Jan. 28 could stay for an "extended period."

    But Deans said that Sloly told her privately that he would be "very surprised" if they stayed beyond the weekend, asking: "What are you worried about?"

    Supt. Pat Morris of the Ontario Provincial Police painted a different picture with his testimony later on Wednesday.

    The OPP was planning for a prolonged protest, the commander of the force's provincial operations intelligence bureau told the commission. "I want to be clear. We felt this would be a long-term event," he said.

    An OPP situational awareness bulletin dated Jan. 26 and shared with the commission said that "there is no expressed departure date for when participants will disperse or the action will end."

    The next day, a report from the provincial operations intelligence bureau said that the presence of heavy equipment among convoy participants suggested "some convoy participants intend to reinforce positions for long-term occupation in Ottawa; to block access to strategic locations; to damage property; to render roadways impassable; or to intimidate the public, government and law enforcement."

    On Jan. 29, the day after the protests began in earnest, an intelligence report said there was "the potential to pose a real public safety and officer safety threat."

    By Feb. 6, reports said the blockade "appears to have the financial and logistical support to remain in place for the long term," and organized and pop-up protests, convoys and solidarity actions could be expected locally "for the foreseeable future."

    On Feb. 7, the OPP reported that increasing tension between supporters and opponents of the convoy "is likely to lead to conflict," and the next day, it said that "the potential for an act of violence is likely increasing as the blockade continues."

    Intelligence reports filed with the inquiry consistently noted that convoy organizers and participants would be "unlikely to have the ability to control, influence or discipline" the "fringe elements" that it expected could pose the biggest threat to public safety.

    They also noted on several occasions that while the OPP had "identified no concrete, specific, or credible threat with regard to the Freedom Convoy protest" or related events, "a lone actor or group of individuals could enact a threat with little or no warning."

    By Feb. 8, the OPP assessment said "foreign ideological and financial support" for the protests was helping to "harden the resolve" of those taking part. As such, the intelligence report said, "the ongoing series of protests and blockades represents a potential threat to Canada's sovereignty and national security."

    Morris testified that he was surprised to receive a request from Sloly on Feb. 11 for every OPP intelligence report on the convoy, because his understanding was that Ottawa police were already looped in. "I would have thought they would have already known and had those reports," he said.

    A summary of an August interview with Morris says he "did not believe this was an intelligence failure," but he indicated "there can be a weakness in the tie between intelligence and operational planning."

    Morris was concerned the intelligence he was providing in documentary and verbal form "was not being appropriately translated into operational action" by the Ottawa Police Service, the summary document says.

    This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 19, 2022.  

    IN DEPTH

    Opinion

    opinion

    opinion Don Martin: How a beer break may have doomed the carbon tax hike

    When the Liberal government chopped a planned beer excise tax hike to two per cent from 4.5 per cent and froze future increases until after the next election, says political columnist Don Martin, it almost guaranteed a similar carbon tax move in the offing.

    CTVNews.ca Top Stories

    Why brain aging can vary dramatically between people

    Researchers are uncovering deeper insights into how the human brain ages and what factors may be tied to healthier cognitive aging, including exercising, avoiding tobacco, speaking a second language or even playing a musical instrument.

    The union representing some 1,200 dockworkers at the Port of Montreal has overwhelmingly rejected a deal with their employers association.

    A man who was critically injured in a police-involved shooting in Hamilton late Sunday afternoon has died in hospital, says the province鈥檚 police watchdog.

    Canada

    World

    Politics

    • Murray Sinclair鈥檚 family members say the late justice and senator has been laid to rest according to his wishes.

    • Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced voters in Cloverdale鈥擫angley City will pick their next member of Parliament on Dec. 16.

    Health

    Sci-Tech

    Entertainment

    Business

    Lifestyle

    Sports

    Autos

    Local Spotlight

    For the second year in a row, the 鈥楪ift-a-Family鈥 campaign is hoping to make the holidays happier for children and families in need throughout Barrie.

    Some of the most prolific photographers behind CTV Skywatch Pics of the Day use the medium for fun, therapy, and connection.

    A young family from Codroy Valley, N.L., is happy to be on land and resting with their newborn daughter, Miley, after an overwhelming, yet exciting experience at sea.

    As Connor Nijsse prepared to remove some old drywall during his garage renovation, he feared the worst.

    A group of women in Chester, N.S., has been busy on the weekends making quilts 鈥 not for themselves, but for those in need.

    A Vancouver artist whose streetside singing led to a chance encounter with one of the world's biggest musicians is encouraging aspiring performers to try their hand at busking.

    Ten-thousand hand-knit poppies were taken from the Sanctuary Arts Centre and displayed on the fence surrounding the Dartmouth Cenotaph on Monday.

    A Vancouver man is saying goodbye to his nine-to-five and embarking on a road trip from the Canadian Arctic to Antarctica.

    • Weather watchers were treated to an exceptionally rare display on Friday evening as rare cloud formations filled Vancouver skies.

    • For some shoppers it was Nov. 1, but for others the first hints of Christmas - saccharine treats, festive-fragranced candles and gaudily wrapped gift sets - were being noticed in stores long before the final Halloween decor had been cleared.

    • Thousands of people are expected to gather in downtown Vancouver on Monday to observe the city鈥檚 100th Remembrance Day ceremony.

    • Toronto is expected to see an economic boost to the tune of nearly $300 million thanks to Taylor Swift鈥檚 upcoming Eras Tour, which will be making a stop in Canada鈥檚 largest city for a six-show run later this month.

    • One man was transported to hospital early Monday morning after a stabbing in the northwest end of the city, Toronto police say.

    • A man who was critically injured in a police-involved shooting in Hamilton late Sunday afternoon has died in hospital, says the province鈥檚 police watchdog.

    • A pair of 105-mm howitzers bark constantly as they turn plywood tank targets into kindling kilometres away on the windswept landscape of one of Canada's largest military bases.

    • Two semis were among the vehicles involved in a multi-vehicle crash that brought westbound traffic along Stoney Trail Northwest to a standstill on Sunday.

    • More than 700 people danced, ate, and sang to celebrate Diwali Saturday night at the Genesis Centre in northeast Calgary.

    • NEW THIS MORNING

      NEW THIS MORNING

      An Ottawa boy with a rare disease will be getting the chance to see Taylor Swift in concert after the winner and organizers of an auction held on his behalf gifted the tickets to him.

    • After months of controversy surrounding a dog park in Ottawa's west end, a solution has been reached to divide the park in half.

    • CTVNewsOttawa.ca looks at Remembrance Day ceremonies in Ottawa.

    • An elementary school in Greenfield Park on Montreal鈥檚 South Shore is closed after it was the target of an alleged arson attack.

    • Some 12,000 daycare workers are set to begin their strike action Monday morning.

    • Two vehicles were set on fire in Montreal鈥檚 east end Riviere-des-Prairies neighbourhood.

    • Monday is Remembrance Day, a time to honour armed forces members who have died in the line of duty.

    • Boasting 2,300 square metres of skating space at its new location, Edmonton's Rollers Roller Rink believes it is the largest in Canada.

    • A woman is dead after a driver crashed a truck through a Boston Pizza in Fort McMurray late Saturday morning.

    • A pillar in Canada鈥檚 history was honoured in Winnipeg Sunday afternoon, with thousands showing up to pay tribute to the life and legacy of the late Murray Sinclair.

    • Winnipeg police have identified two men involved in a stabbing incident earlier this week.

    • The Winnipeg Blue Bombers whipped the Saskatchewan Roughriders 38-22 in Saturday's CFL West Division final to earn their fifth consecutive trip to the Grey Cup.

    • Regina author Valerie Crowther is celebrating the release of her book 鈥榃ar Letters: Linking Lives in the Second World War.鈥

    • It was a somber day at Mosaic Stadium as members of the Saskatchewan Roughriders officially cleaned out their stalls and closed the book on the 2024 season.

    • Twilight Tech Arcade, an entertainment location specializing in retro gaming, is closing its doors for the foreseeable future.

    • A man has been charged after a stabbing at an apartment building in Kitchener.

    • The Guelph Police Service is putting out a warning after two deaths in the downtown area.

    • Two new tributes to Canada鈥檚 veterans have been unveiled at the Elmira Cenotaph.

    • Saskatchewan RCMP are searching for a suspect after a man was seriously injured in a farm-related incident in Montreal Lake.

    • It was a somber day at Mosaic Stadium as members of the Saskatchewan Roughriders officially cleaned out their stalls and closed the book on the 2024 season.

    • The Regina Rams claimed the Hardy Cup after a hard fought battle against the Saskatoon Huskies 19-14 on Saturday in the first all Saskatchewan U-Sports western conference final since 2002.

    • CTVNewsNorthernOntario.ca is livestreaming the annual Remembrance Day ceremony at the Sudbury Community Arena starting Monday at 10:30 a.m.

    • Police have arrested a 15-year-old in connection with a break-in and $50,000 in damage done to the Centennial Arena in Elliot Lake in September.

    • Emergency crews responded to the scene on Road 68/Highway 2 east of Thamesford around 7 p.m.

    • On Friday, the Sarnia Police Service (SPS) received a report of an alleged abduction in the area of Kathleen Avenue and Walnut Avenue.

    • The events will start at 10:15 a.m. with a parade that forms up in front of the Delta London Armories, marches east on Dundas Street and turns north onto Waterloo Street to Dufferin Avenue, the west to the Cenotaph.

    • A group of former NHL players faced off against York Regional Police officers in Newmarket Sunday afternoon to raise funds for Special Olympics programs across the province.

    • A driver is facing multiple charges after a multi-vehicle collision on Highway 400 early Sunday morning.

    • The agreed statement of facts was read to the court on Friday in the case of Alex Williams, the 24-year-old jail guard charged last fall with smuggling cannabis and tobacco into Central North Correctional Centre in Penetanguishene.

    • One person has been arrested after Chatham-Kent Police Service (CKPS) received multiple complaints about an alleged drunk driver.

    • More details have been released about a police investigation at the Ambassador Bridge that connects Windsor, Ont. and Detroit, MI.

    • An individual is dead following a collision involving a motorcycle in Kingsville.

    • Environment Canada says heavy rain and winds could cause power outages on Vancouver Island as an "intense" storm system is set to hit the B.C. coast Sunday.

    • Six deer were struck by vehicles in six different locations in a six-hour period on B.C. highways on Saturday, according to the transportation ministry.

    • The union for locked-out port workers in British Columbia says the BC Maritime Employers Association cut off talks in less than an hour Saturday, refusing to budge on a final offer that the union has so far rejected.

    • The emergency department at South Okanagan General Hospital in Oliver, B.C., will be closed for 31 hours this weekend, the second such closure in a week and the third since the start of November.

    • Police in Kamloops, B.C., are reminding parents and guardians to check their children's Halloween candy after receiving a report of a mother finding a razor blade in one of her daughter's treats.

    • More than two years after Alannah Brown and Douglas Barker were found dead north of Penticton, police are asking for help identifying a vehicle they believe was associated with the crime.

    • The Southern Alberta Recreation Association is officially announcing the Town of Taber as next year鈥檚 host for the Southern Alberta Summer Games.

    • The Lethbridge Hurricanes broke open a close game with three goals in the first two minutes of the third period as they defeated the Warriors 7-3 in a game played Friday night in Moose Jaw.

    • There might not a lot snow just yet, but many southern Albertans are still itching to get outdoors.

    • Police have arrested a 15-year-old in connection with a break-in and $50,000 in damage done to the Centennial Arena in Elliot Lake in September.

    • Mayors of the five largest cities in northern Ontario met in North Bay the last two days to discuss a range of critical issues impacting their cities and the region.

    • Residents in the Sault expressed concerns ranging from vandalism to privacy invasions during recent consultations on the city's plan to install automated speed enforcement cameras.

    N.L.

    Stay Connected
    Follow 麻豆影视