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.
8:15 p.m.
Acting Director, Parliamentary Protective Service
Through you, Mr. Chair, no.
8:15 p.m.
Acting Director, Parliamentary Protective Service
Through you, Mr. Chair, the cost incurred by the service during this period is something I can get and provide to the committee. I just don't have the number.
8:20 p.m.
Senator, Ontario, PSG
Okay, fine.
We talked a little bit about the harassment of staff of senators and members of Parliament and indeed of senators and parliamentarians during the period of the occupation. What about your staff? Were they harassed and assaulted in any fashion that you could share with us?
September 29th, 2022 / 8:20 p.m.
Acting Director, Parliamentary Protective Service
Through you, Mr. Chair, there were no direct invocations, but it was a period of time that was extremely difficult. We're talking about PPS employees who were working 10, 11 or 12 days in a row to ensure.... Yes, we have 421 protection officers, but when you take into consideration the importance of spending time with family and having adequate time for rest, it was a difficult to ensure that the numbers were there.
8:20 p.m.
Senator, Ontario, PSG
Were there any actions that you undertook post-occupation to deal with the special emotional or other circumstances your staff felt?
8:20 p.m.
Acting Director, Parliamentary Protective Service
Through you, Mr. Chair, yes, Senator. That's an incredibly important question to ask.
The health, safety and well-being of our employees is something that the service takes as a priority. The engagement of adequate counselling and what have you went on for an extended period of time.
8:20 p.m.
Senator, Ontario, PSG
I congratulate you for that. I think that's a very important role for you to play. I'm grateful for your confirming that it took place.
My final question is to all three of you. Did you ever feel that you didn't have appropriate situational awareness for you to be able to perform your mandated tasks?
8:20 p.m.
Director, Corporate Security, Senate
I think that throughout we had enough coordination and enough of a coordinated effort that I felt that I had the information I needed to make decisions and to “brief up” to make those decisions.
8:20 p.m.
Acting Director, Parliamentary Protective Service
Again I'll reiterate that my lack of situational awareness as to what was sitting on Wellington Street was my biggest concern, and it remains my concern to today.
8:20 p.m.
Sergeant-at-Arms and Corporate Security Officer, House of Commons
I would say I lacked the situational awareness with respect to the anticipated actions of the Ottawa police moving forward. That would have been good to know.
8:20 p.m.
NDP
The Joint Chair NDP Matthew Green
That concludes the five-minute round.
I am unclear about the timing for the three in-person senators, but I do know that Mr. Carignan has a five-minute round.
Ms. Boniface, were you changing the order or would you prefer to have your round? You are on the list.
8:20 p.m.
The Joint Chair Hon. Gwen Boniface
Oh, I'm sorry. When you indicated, I thought you meant only one of us, under the old rules.
8:20 p.m.
NDP
The Joint Chair NDP Matthew Green
No, my apologies. We are back to the original five-minutes rounds.
8:20 p.m.
NDP
The Joint Chair NDP Matthew Green
—I would like to do that.
Mr. Carignan, the floor is yours for five minutes.
8:20 p.m.
Senator, Quebec (Mille Isles), C
I can give two minutes of my time to the Senator, if she wants to ask questions. I will take the rest.
8:20 p.m.
NDP
8:20 p.m.
Senator, Quebec (Mille Isles), C
All right. That's fine.
I get the impression that the three of you take daily notes on activities and problems that have occurred during the day, evening and night. You also receive status reports.
You had meetings with each other and with police officers, whether from the RCMP, OPP or the City of Ottawa. Minutes of those meetings were surely taken. There were email exchanges between you as well as with the Senate Corporate Security Directorate offices, government departments and the City of Ottawa.
Is it possible to obtain a copy of these exchanges, minutes and daily progress notes from the three witnesses?