Declaration of Emergency Committee on June 7th, 2022

[The Joint Chair, NDP, Matthew Green]

If I could, though, with specificity, we're in Ontario. The nation's capital is being occupied. Doug Ford moves an emergency act and then ostensibly does nothing for weeks. What powers did they claim under that act that failed, and why didn't the municipality of Ottawa consider, as our committee colleague Mr. White had suggested, using the aid to civil power avenue, through which they could have provided the powers for towing away the trucks and everything else?

[François Daigle]

I'd have to go back and look at the Ontario order, but I think mostly it significantly increased some fines. I think they were having, from what I saw, difficulty applying fines in Ontario, and it didn't seem to get people out of there.

[The Joint Chair, NDP, Matthew Green]

How does one have difficulty applying fines?

[François Daigle]

They weren't making a difference. People were not leaving.

[The Joint Chair, NDP, Matthew Green]

Were they writing the fines?

[François Daigle]

I don't have a list of what the Ontario government did or what the Ottawa Police Service did, but I know that a lot of charges have been laid and are still before the courts.

[The Joint Chair, NDP, Matthew Green]

Did your department consider the aid to civil power as a possible outcome that would not require the Emergencies Act?

[François Daigle]

That would not be something the Department of Justice would be considering. It would be something that another minister of the Crown would be considering.

[The Joint Chair, NDP, Matthew Green]

I look forward to having them before us so that I can put that question to them.

Thank you very much.

[Glen Motz, Conservative, Medicine Hat—Cardston—Warner, AB]

Mr. Chair, can I just clarify something on a point of order?

[The Joint Chair, NDP, Matthew Green]

I'm not the chair at the moment. It's Mr. Fortin.

[Glen Motz, Conservative, Medicine Hat—Cardston—Warner, AB]

Mr. Fortin, I have a point of order.

[The Joint Chair, Bloc, Rhéal Fortin]

Mr. Motz, you have the floor.

[Glen Motz, Conservative, Medicine Hat—Cardston—Warner, AB]

Mr. Green had asked Mr. Daigle whether he believed the emergencies declared by both Ottawa and the Province of Ontario were “ineffective”. I believe Mr. Daigle didn't hear the question properly, because his answer was, “They were in effect. Yes.”

[The Joint Chair, NDP, Matthew Green]

I heard, “They were ineffective.”

[Glen Motz, Conservative, Medicine Hat—Cardston—Warner, AB]

No. That's not what he said.

[The Joint Chair, NDP, Matthew Green]

Thank you for that clarification.

Mr. Chair, through you, could I get clarity for the purposes of the record?

[The Joint Chair, Bloc, Rhéal Fortin]

You have 20 seconds left, Mr. Green.

[The Joint Chair, NDP, Matthew Green]

I will take those 20 seconds to ask Mr. Daigle if he could please expand upon that.

[François Daigle]

I'm sorry. Can you repeat that?

[The Joint Chair, NDP, Matthew Green]

Do you believe the emergencies declared by the City of Ottawa and the Province of Ontario were ineffective?

[François Daigle]

Yes. I believe they were ineffective. That's why the government had to take some extra measures.

[The Joint Chair, NDP, Matthew Green]

Thank you.

I'll relinquish the rest of my time.

Could I take the chair back?

[The Joint Chair, Bloc, Rhéal Fortin]

I will relinquish my turn to you, Mr. Chair.

[The Joint Chair, NDP, Matthew Green]

Thank you.

I will now pass it on to Senator Carignan for three minutes.

I'm sorry.