Declaration of Emergency Committee on June 7th, 2022

[Yasir Naqvi, Liberal, Ottawa Centre, ON]

Leading up to the invocation of the Emergencies Act, was there frustration on the part of the federal public service, or others you were communicating with, with the lack of action or the lack of capacity to put an end to this occupation by other governments, like the provincial government?

[Rob Stewart]

I would tend to agree that in Ottawa there was intense frustration. Elsewhere, there was a sense of unexpectedness, in the sense that we were dealing with a situation—and I want to emphasize this point—where we didn't know where the next protest was going to happen and we weren't able to have the intelligence, through police channels or social media, that would give us a good sense of that.

We had demonstrations pop up and rolling protests involving large trucks, potentially impairing access to critical infrastructure. For us, it was in part what we knew, but also in part what we didn't know, and that was coming across.

[The Joint Chair, NDP, Matthew Green]

Thank you.

Mr. Fortin, the floor is yours for five minutes.

[The Joint Chair, Bloc, Rhéal Fortin]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I'd also like to thank the three witnesses for being with us today.

My questions are for Mr. Stewart.

Other witnesses before you have been asked this question. Two secret orders were made between the end of January and the end of February. We are wondering whether that was connected with the emergency. Are you aware of those two orders?

[Rob Stewart]

No. I have no knowledge of them.

[The Joint Chair, Bloc, Rhéal Fortin]

So that means you don't know what they are about.

[Rob Stewart]

That's correct.

[The Joint Chair, Bloc, Rhéal Fortin]

Right. Thank you.

I imagine you were consulted before the Emergencies Act was proclaimed and you were consulted after that as the situation progressed.

[Rob Stewart]

Yes.

[The Joint Chair, Bloc, Rhéal Fortin]

In your opinion, at the time of the proclamation, was there really an emergency, as defined in the Emergencies Act?

[Rob Stewart]

Having an opinion is not part of my role. I give the minister advice.

[The Joint Chair, Bloc, Rhéal Fortin]

Nonetheless, you are the Deputy Minister of Public Safety.

Was this the first time you had to manage this kind of situation, with protests and the occupation of a public place?

[Rob Stewart]

It was the first time we had seen a protest this serious and this long in which the law could not be enforced.

[The Joint Chair, Bloc, Rhéal Fortin]

In your opinion, was it not possible to put an end to the situation or even prevent it from happening under the laws in force in Canada, whether it be the Criminal Code, the Highway Traffic Act, or any other law in force in Ontario, particularly in Ottawa?

[Rob Stewart]

Yes, it was done in other cities that learned lessons from the situation in Ottawa and were able to prevent occupations.

[The Joint Chair, Bloc, Rhéal Fortin]

We all followed the situation, although without participating in the decisions, when the police decided to clear Wellington Street. It took about three days, I believe.

The police arrived and cleared everybody out. I may be wrong, but I didn't have the impression that they used special powers other than the normal powers that all police have.

To your knowledge, was there something done at that time that could not have been done without proclaiming an emergency?

[Rob Stewart]

The proclamation helped Ottawa police take measures, particularly concerning tow trucks.

[The Joint Chair, Bloc, Rhéal Fortin]

Does the Ontario Highway Traffic Act not already provide for the possibility of towing vehicles when they impede the public highway?

[Rob Stewart]

Yes, but we needed the cooperation of the tow truck drivers.

[The Joint Chair, Bloc, Rhéal Fortin]

Do the police not have the power to force tow truck drivers to tow vehicles?

[Rob Stewart]

No.

[The Joint Chair, Bloc, Rhéal Fortin]

Do police forces not have tow trucks?

Is that not part of a police force's equipment?

[Rob Stewart]

No.

[The Joint Chair, Bloc, Rhéal Fortin]

No police officer in Canada has control of a tow truck?

[Rob Stewart]

I don't know. At least, there would not have been enough tow trucks.