Evidence of meeting #13 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 chair.
A video is available from Parliament.
Liberal
Rachel Bendayan Liberal Outremont, QC
Thank you.
On Friday, February 18, I came to the Hill. I wanted to be in the House of Commons. I was actually stopped by your staff and escorted home. I was not allowed to attend the House of Commons on Friday, February 18.
Can you explain why? Again, in specific terms, what was the security threat on February 18?
Acting Director, Parliamentary Protective Service
Through you, Mr. Chair, the security threat of that day was the commencement of the police operation that was going to walk right down Wellington Street. I had hoped that it would have been cleared prior to February 18, on the evening of February 17, but for reasons unknown to me, the policing operation was halted.
Liberal
Rachel Bendayan Liberal Outremont, QC
And so, in effect, did the convoy stop the functioning of democracy temporarily in this country, in your opinion?
Acting Director, Parliamentary Protective Service
What I do know is that the recommendation from me to the administration was to suspend Parliament for February 18.
Acting Director, Parliamentary Protective Service
I felt it was unsafe. Yes.
NDP
The Joint Chair NDP Matthew Green
Thank you.
We will now go to the three-minute rounds.
Mr. Fortin, you have three minutes.
Bloc
The Joint Chair Bloc Rhéal Fortin
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
If I may, Mr. Brookson, I'd like to pick up on the last part of the testimony, where you told us that you felt that the security of parliamentary operations could be compromised.
At what point did you feel that there was some danger to the safety of actors on Parliament Hill?
Acting Director, Parliamentary Protective Service
Through you, Mr. Chair, it would have been around February 18. February 18 was the Friday, I believe. February 17, or the evening thereof, was the commencement of the police operation. The operation commenced outside the perimeter of the downtown core, and it was suspended that evening. It was February 18, during the day, that it was going to be coming through Wellington and clearing out.
Understanding what I wasn't alive to, understanding what a police operation of that magnitude could trigger off with those who were involved and remaining—
Bloc
The Joint Chair Bloc Rhéal Fortin
I apologize for interrupting. I know it's from February 18, but at no time before that date did you feel that the safety of the actors on Parliament Hill was in danger.
Never? No?
Acting Director, Parliamentary Protective Service
No.
My sense was that.... Just to be clear to the committee, and I've expressed this to the policing partners, the threshold for me is much lower at maintaining security within the precinct. What I was seeing happening on Wellington Street and the massive police operation to clear Wellington Street, understanding the level of foot traffic of our parliamentarian staffers who come to work—that was the consideration I took in making the recommendation.
Bloc
The Joint Chair Bloc Rhéal Fortin
The occupation began around January 28, as I recall. I'm not questioning the value of your judgment, but I just want to make sure I understand. In your opinion, at no time between January 28 and February 18 was the safety of actors on Parliament Hill compromised.
Acting Director, Parliamentary Protective Service
Outside of February 17, 18 and 19, I didn't have the same level of concern about shutting it down and blocking it.
Bloc
The Joint Chair Bloc Rhéal Fortin
You know as well as I do that parliamentarians work all over Parliament Hill. We go to the Wellington Building, the West Block, the Confederation Building across Bank Street. There's also the Prime Minister's Office, at the Langevin Building. There are a number of buildings around Parliament where parliamentarians go to work, including for committees, at their offices, and so on.
Are you responsible for the security of all these parliamentarians at all times, even in these buildings, or only when they are in the West Block?
Acting Director, Parliamentary Protective Service
Through you, Mr. Chair, to be clear, the precinct is inside buildings—Parliament Hill—and that's it, so sidewalks, Wellington Street, any of the side streets...are not part of the precinct.
NDP
The Joint Chair NDP Matthew Green
I will pass the chair now to Mr. Fortin, and I will commence with my three-minute round.
Without getting into specifics, in the lead-up to the occupation, did you take steps to increase the personnel within the precinct?
Acting Director, Parliamentary Protective Service
Through you, Mr. Chair, yes.
NDP
The Joint Chair NDP Matthew Green
In what range, just percentage-wise, how many more officers were required?
Acting Director, Parliamentary Protective Service
It was an increase of roughly 30%.
Acting Director, Parliamentary Protective Service
That would have been throughout.
NDP
The Joint Chair NDP Matthew Green
Okay.
You referenced that perhaps the threat of it being breached or there being some kind of overthrow wasn't present. After January 6, did your organization take any steps to begin preparedness for a like scenario that might occur here in Canada, Mr. McDonell?