Mr. Green.
Evidence of meeting #7 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 rcmp.
A video is available from Parliament.
Evidence of meeting #7 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 rcmp.
A video is available from Parliament.
NDP
The Joint Chair NDP Matthew Green
Thank you, Madam Chair.
Through you to Commissioner Lucki, the lessons learned from the rolling thunder protest, the ones that you listed, seemed pretty obvious, did they not, Commissioner Lucki?
It wouldn't take the retrospective view of the Emergencies Act to learn those lessons. Is that not fair to say?
NDP
The Joint Chair NDP Matthew Green
It's the Emergencies Act, the invocation of which you are providing testimony for.
Commr Brenda Lucki
Yes. When we look at the lessons learned, we look at the types of resources we brought in, the type of plan we had—
NDP
The Joint Chair NDP Matthew Green
Thank you.
I'm trying not to get frustrated, but I'm challenged by your not drawing that very basic conclusion and that very basic comparison between the two. Therefore, let's do some more comparisons.
In the lead-up to Coutts, it would be safe to say that the RCMP would have had investigations ongoing that ultimately led to the discovery of the weapons cache in Coutts.
Is that correct?
NDP
The Joint Chair NDP Matthew Green
You would have known about that in advance. How far in advance would you have known that the Diagolon group was plotting for this type of intervention in Coutts?
Commr Brenda Lucki
It wasn't that far in advance, but I can't speak to any details because it's before the courts.
NDP
The Joint Chair NDP Matthew Green
There'll be a response to that momentarily.
Are you aware of whether members of Diagolon were present in Ottawa?
NDP
The Joint Chair NDP Matthew Green
That's okay. I want to stay on this, Commissioner Lucki, because this is important information.
Understanding the investigation that ultimately led to the weapons cache, is it safe to say that the RCMP would have been on high alert, given the high-risk nature of this investigation and arrest?
NDP
NDP
The Joint Chair NDP Matthew Green
How long had the ERTs been involved in these occupations across the country?
NDP
The Joint Chair NDP Matthew Green
I'd call you on that because, for example, in November 2021, the B.C. RCMP deployed military-style police tactical units, including snipers—lethal overwatch—and heavily armed assault teams against unarmed Wet'suwet'en land defenders in northern British Columbia because they deemed it more practical.
Were any weapons ever found in the Wet'suwet'en territory as the small houses were chainsawed down and entries were forced on those camps?
Commr Brenda Lucki
I would have to pass that to my colleague who's in charge of contract and indigenous policing, Brian Brennan.
NDP
The Joint Chair NDP Matthew Green
It's a simple yes or no question for your colleague, if he can answer that. Were any weapons found on the site of the Wet'suwet'en land defenders?
Brian Brennan Deputy Commissioner, Contract and Indigenous Policing, Royal Canadian Mounted Police
I'm personally not aware of any weapons that were found during those searches.
NDP
The Joint Chair NDP Matthew Green
I ask this question through you, Madam Chair, to the commissioner. Here we have a situation, a juxtaposition of policing and what I'll call a failure of policing.
How is it that you reconcile the double standard in policing? What would you say to Canadians who have questions about the conduct of RCMP officers giving handshakes, high fives and hugs shortly after these weapon stashes were found in what was admittedly a high-risk investigation and arrest?
Commr Brenda Lucki
There were many legal protesters at the Coutts protest. Our members who police there are part of the community. The shop in those stores. They're neighbours to those people.