Evidence of meeting #10 for Declaration of Emergency in the 44th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was police.
A video is available from Parliament.
NDP
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?
Liberal
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.
NDP
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.
Liberal
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—
NDP
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.
Liberal
Bill Blair Liberal Scarborough Southwest, ON
Unfortunately, Mr. Green, those were verbal briefings to me. I can only provide you with my recollection.
NDP
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?
Liberal
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.
Liberal
Bill Blair Liberal Scarborough Southwest, ON
Again, I don't have that information. I have no notes with respect—
NDP
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?
Liberal
Bill Blair Liberal Scarborough Southwest, ON
What I can tell you is I have no notes from those briefings. I attended those briefings—
NDP
Liberal
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.
NDP
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—
Liberal
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?
Liberal
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—
NDP
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?
Liberal
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.
Liberal
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—
NDP
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?
