Declaration of Emergency Committee on June 14th, 2022

[The Joint Chair, Bloc, Rhéal Fortin]

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Blair.

[The Joint Chair, Hon. Gwen Boniface]

Mr. Green, you have five minutes.

[The Joint Chair, NDP, Matthew Green]

Thank you.

Minister, you're with us today as the Minister for Emergency Preparedness. When did you first become aware of the security threat, and when did preparations officially begin?

[Bill Blair, Liberal, Scarborough Southwest, ON]

First of all, we were aware, Mr. Green, that there was going to be a protest. That protest quickly manifested itself into something much more than a lawful, peaceful protest. It took on elements of criminality and occupation, and there was the presence of those vehicles.

Our officials continued to update us on a very regular basis on the efforts of law enforcement to properly resolve it.

[The Joint Chair, NDP, Matthew Green]

Minister, when did you first become aware that there was a security threat? We have public reports that the integrated terrorism assessment centre was providing briefings on the potential for ideologically motivated extremists. There are emails that have been made available between the National Capital Commission and the Ottawa police that were back and forth about the nature of this.

As the Minister for Emergency Preparedness, when did you first become aware that this could be a security threat? When did you begin your preparations?

I'm looking for a date, sir.

[Bill Blair, Liberal, Scarborough Southwest, ON]

I don't have that date in front of me. At the very earliest stages of this protest—then occupation—through the work of our officials, I was being regularly briefed. I have the benefit of briefings from our officials, and they were apprising us of their work. They were not seeking operational direction at that time, but I was receiving information about security concerns related to—

[The Joint Chair, NDP, Matthew Green]

Would you be willing to share those briefings with this committee sir, for clarity? We could perhaps contemplate them in camera.

[Bill Blair, Liberal, Scarborough Southwest, ON]

Unfortunately, Mr. Green, those were verbal briefings to me. I can only provide you with my recollection.

[The Joint Chair, NDP, Matthew Green]

Don't you take notes? As a former police officer for decades, don't you take detailed notes on your meetings?

[Bill Blair, Liberal, Scarborough Southwest, ON]

I've always been very careful with any notes or papers with respect to matters of significant confidence.

I received the benefit of verbal briefings from officials, but I do not take and carry notes from those meetings.

[The Joint Chair, NDP, Matthew Green]

Do your staff take or carry notes, sir?

[Bill Blair, Liberal, Scarborough Southwest, ON]

Again, I don't have that information. I have no notes with respect—

[The Joint Chair, NDP, Matthew Green]

You don't know if your staff take notes on your behalf at meetings? You don't know that, sir?

[Bill Blair, Liberal, Scarborough Southwest, ON]

What I can tell you is I have no notes from those briefings. I attended those briefings—

[The Joint Chair, NDP, Matthew Green]

I understood that. I'm now asking you if your staff took notes.

[Bill Blair, Liberal, Scarborough Southwest, ON]

I'll inquire, but I do not believe, frankly, that my staff have access to some of those confidential briefings that I am privileged to attend.

[The Joint Chair, NDP, Matthew Green]

Okay. It wouldn't be in the binder that you have before you. None of those briefings or records of those detailed documents are in there. Being able to refer to your notes to refresh your memory as you would have when you were—

[Bill Blair, Liberal, Scarborough Southwest, ON]

Unfortunately, Mr. Green, I've gone through this book quite extensively. None of those notes to which you refer are contained therein.

[The Joint Chair, NDP, Matthew Green]

In a more official capacity, the report to the Houses of Parliament under the Emergencies Act consultations outlined your participation in several discussions in advance of the declaration. Is it your position that there are no notes pertaining to those discussions under the official consultations of the Emergencies Act?

[Bill Blair, Liberal, Scarborough Southwest, ON]

No. It's my position that I did not carry personal notes from any of those consultations or discussions. I can only speak to my own actions and notes that would be in my possession. I can't confirm for you—

[The Joint Chair, NDP, Matthew Green]

You're the minister of your department, sir. You have staff. Respectfully, they are responsible to you, so then I would ask, given that you're not taking personal responsibility, will you take ministerial responsibility to provide this committee with any notes that were taken by anybody at the meetings pertaining to the Emergencies Act consultations leading up to the invocation?

[Bill Blair, Liberal, Scarborough Southwest, ON]

Respectfully, Mr. Green, I take full responsibility for my job as a minister and for my own conduct, and as I've advised you—and I've advised you quite forthrightly—I attended a number of briefings. I did not personally take notes at those briefings, and I don't have those to share with you. I do have a recollection of those briefings, which I am prepared, as appropriate, to share.

[The Joint Chair, NDP, Matthew Green]

You heard my question, correct?

[Bill Blair, Liberal, Scarborough Southwest, ON]

But your question was based on quite frankly a premise that was incorrect, so I feel a need to correct that. If you want to modify your inquiry now—

[The Joint Chair, NDP, Matthew Green]

I'll do it by way of a motion at a further date in a more formal way.

Were there any military people involved in the operations pertaining to G20, sir?