Evidence of meeting #20 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 funds.
A video is available from Parliament.
8:15 p.m.
National Security and Intelligence Advisor, Privy Council Office
Thank you for the question.
There are provincial security officers, but it's quite a different function, not doing similar roles.
8:15 p.m.
The Joint Chair Hon. Gwen Boniface
They would be for internal security versus external, which is what you would work on.
8:15 p.m.
National Security and Intelligence Advisor, Privy Council Office
That's correct.
8:15 p.m.
The Joint Chair Hon. Gwen Boniface
From this committee's perspective, would there be a benefit in terms of having a counterpart you could speak to who would be more on what I would consider an operational level and not a political level? Would that make the role easier, given the types of issues you're dealing with?
8:15 p.m.
National Security and Intelligence Advisor, Privy Council Office
Thank you for the question.
I'm not sure. Certainly, the deputy minister of public safety was able to reach out to the security apparatus in the various provinces. Mr. Di Tommaso, who is the—
8:15 p.m.
National Security and Intelligence Advisor, Privy Council Office
He was at the inquiry. I think the fundamental problem was that Ontario determined that this was a protest in the federal capital because of the federal mandate, and was therefore a federal problem. It was a much more complex issue than that. They did not come to the table, to the extent that we would have appreciated, because of that.
Certainly, at the OPP level, Inspector Craig was very engaged and very involved. We've seen evidence of that.
8:15 p.m.
The Joint Chair Hon. Gwen Boniface
I want to make it clear. The province has not only an overarching responsibility for municipalities; it's also responsible for policing in the province. Was it your assumption that the province would play a bigger role than they did, particularly for Ottawa? Was that the same in other provinces?
I'm trying to get an idea of how it compares across the country.
8:20 p.m.
National Security and Intelligence Advisor, Privy Council Office
Thank you.
It's different in each province, because it depends on who the police of jurisdiction are. In some provinces, the RCMP are the police of jurisdiction—
8:20 p.m.
National Security and Intelligence Advisor, Privy Council Office
—so it was a different response and a different level of engagement. The most striking problem in terms of policing itself was in Ontario.
8:20 p.m.
The Joint Chair Hon. Gwen Boniface
Okay.
In terms of your thoughts going forward, what changes would you make in terms of that table? We were quite interested here that the person in charge of emergency at the City of Ottawa didn't know who the deputy minister of public safety was, and they'd never met.
Given that we are in Ottawa, isn't there a role for every level of government to protect our national capital?
8:20 p.m.
National Security and Intelligence Advisor, Privy Council Office
I think that's a very important observation. That is the point of intersect, which is all the police agencies and those of us involved in the parliamentary precinct working together to ensure that we understand the threats and potential situations that could occur in the city of Ottawa.
The deputy minister of public safety hadn't previously been involved in that. The new deputy, and the one who just left, now are. I think there are relationships that we could say we had not built to the extent that we should have before this convoy. The previous manifestations and protests had been left at the OPS level, and they managed them.
8:20 p.m.
The Joint Chair Hon. Gwen Boniface
Thank you.
We'll move to Senator Carignan, followed by Senator Harder.
8:20 p.m.
Senator, Quebec (Mille Isles), C
Thank you, Madam Chair.
I'd like to draw your attention to the tactical plan that was prepared by the RCMP, the OPP and the police services of Ottawa, Toronto, York and Peel.
Have you read that document?
December 1st, 2022 / 8:20 p.m.
National Security and Intelligence Advisor, Privy Council Office
I've looked at it since, but I did not see it before.
8:20 p.m.
National Security and Intelligence Advisor, Privy Council Office
It was during the inquiry.
8:20 p.m.
National Security and Intelligence Advisor, Privy Council Office
That was two weeks ago.
8:20 p.m.
Senator, Quebec (Mille Isles), C
It was two weeks ago.
So you saw this document for the first time two weeks ago.
8:20 p.m.
Senator, Quebec (Mille Isles), C
Did you realize that it was prepared on February 12, 2022?