Evidence of meeting #45 for Public Safety and National Security in the 40th Parliament, 3rd session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was summit.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Bloc
Maria Mourani Bloc Ahuntsic, QC
I have the French translation here. Tell me if I'm wrong, but from what I understand, the police officers were around the University of Toronto. They knew perfectly well that young people were in the gym. That wasn't the first time.
You were arrested when you arrived at the University of Toronto. Is that correct?
External Coordinator, Student Union of the University of British Columbia Okanagan
That is correct. When Grayson Lepp and I both came to the campus, as Grayson explained, we were approached by seven officers--between six to eight officers--at 8 a.m. We were completely searched. All of our belongings were looked through. At that point, we were actually told by the police officers that we were good to go.
Another good note on intervening with the police officers: I was able to speak with a police officer the night before the Sunday arrest who was fairly open on expressing why he was there in and around campus. I asked him: “Am I safe? Am I allowed to stay on campus?” He assured me that he was there for my public safety, and that if anything were to happen or go wrong, he would let us know right away, which is definitely a big change from the next morning and being woken up with a gun in the face.
Bloc
Maria Mourani Bloc Ahuntsic, QC
Thank you very much.
Mr. Paikin, we get the impression that Toronto police somewhat lost control of the situation on the Saturday in question and that, on Sunday morning, it wanted to set an example, to make a demonstration and give the population of Toronto the satisfaction of seeing rabble-rousers arrested.
As a journalist, were you invited to attend that police spectacle that Sunday morning? Were other journalists you knew invited?
Bloc
Maria Mourani Bloc Ahuntsic, QC
Do you know any journalists who were invited? We were told that, on Sunday morning, rabble-rousers were taken out in handcuffs and that all the journalists were there, as if by chance on a Sunday morning. You aren't aware of that?
Bloc
Maria Mourani Bloc Ahuntsic, QC
All right.
Did you see any journalists on that Sunday morning who were waiting for you when you came out, like criminals? They were waiting for you when you came out with police officers.
External Coordinator, Student Union of the University of British Columbia Okanagan
Yes, that is correct. There was a big group of 10 to 20 individuals who had cameras. Different kinds of journalists were there. We were originally put in zap straps, and then the zap straps were taken off and we were put in handcuffs. We were then paraded in front of the media. Following that, we were put back in the zap straps. I basically had the zap straps around my hands for over 16 hours.
Bloc
Maria Mourani Bloc Ahuntsic, QC
All right, I understand.
Mr. Paikin, when we met, you said you had seen colleagues and journalists being somewhat mistreated by police officers. You don't refer to that in your statement. Could you tell us a little about what you saw? Were journalists mistreated, even though they knew perfectly well that they were journalists? Did they have their badges or press cards?
Anchor and Senior Editor, TVO
Yes, madam.
First, I would like to note that I learned French 45 years ago in Hamilton, Ontario. I don't speak it very well, but I'm going to try to answer you.
Anchor and Senior Editor, TVO
Sunday morning, I can't speak to. Saturday night at the peaceful protest that took place on the esplanade, I did see the police assault a journalist. The situation was as Mr. Holland described in the Twitter account from that night. They were taking anybody who looked like a journalist and they were saying, “You've got to go”. They offered me the option of being arrested or leaving.
I had official G-20 accreditation, so they looked at my badge and were satisfied that I was, I guess, a journalist from a reputable organization, and therefore allowed me the option of being arrested or leaving. I didn't see how I could do much reporting behind bars, so I left.
There was another reporter who said he represented The Guardian and who did not have official G-20 accreditation around his neck. But he did haveGuardian accreditation around his neck. They took his accreditation; they wanted to check out whether he was who he said he was. Two police officers held him. He was, en anglais, “chippy”. Il n'a pas juré, but he was talking a lot. He was saying: “Why are you holding me? There's no need to hold me. I am who I say I am.”
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kevin Sorenson
Thank you.
We're at the seven-minute mark here so...unless you want to very quickly finish?
Anchor and Senior Editor, TVO
Sure. One officer held one arm; the other officer held another arm. A third officer came up to him and basically told him to shut up three times, punched him in the stomach, he doubled over, and the same officer brought his elbow down on the small of his back and flattened him. It seemed to me that this was a massive overreaction to trying to check to see whether somebody was who he said he was.
Conservative
NDP
Don Davies NDP Vancouver Kingsway, BC
Mr. Kirton, briefly, just hearing that last bit about police officers--from obviously a reputable source--who punched someone in the stomach who had his arms held and who elbowed him down to the ground, is that an example of the kind of successful security that you seem to be testifying about?
Co-director of the G20 Research Group and Director of the G8 Research Group, University of Toronto
I certainly think that would lie in the category of regrettable defects that I spoke about. But on that particular incident, as I recall via a publicly reported media story, there were at least allegations--they would be worthy, I think, of further inquiry--that the individual may in fact have been denied accreditation under the summit, that he might more appropriately lay in the category called “citizen journalist”, posting stories to The Guardian website, if I recall correctly. And what the police officers were following by way of procedures and what information they were acquiring is really beyond my professional competence. But I will point to a larger issue, because often--
NDP
Don Davies NDP Vancouver Kingsway, BC
Actually, sir, I don't want you to point to a larger issue. I have limited time. But even if that person did not have accreditation, the penalty for not having proper accreditation is not a punch in the stomach and an elbow to the back of the neck. Surely you're not suggesting that, are you, sir?
Co-director of the G20 Research Group and Director of the G8 Research Group, University of Toronto
No, I'm not. I'm suggesting that for other categories of individuals associated with the summit, there were regrettable defects.
NDP
Don Davies NDP Vancouver Kingsway, BC
Yes. That's certainly a regrettable defect, I would argue. I agree with you.
Mr. Lepp, what did the police officers say to you when they awakened you that morning in the gym? You alluded to that. I want you to tell the committee exactly what the police said to you.
Executive Chair, Student Union of the University of British Columbia Okanagan
Okay. I apologize ahead of time for my language. I was kicked in the ribs and the officer said, “Wake the fuck up, you fucking piece of shit.”
NDP
Don Davies NDP Vancouver Kingsway, BC
And you've mentioned gunpoint.... Can you tell the committee briefly, when you were awakened, what was the first thing you saw when you opened your eyes?
Executive Chair, Student Union of the University of British Columbia Okanagan
The first thing.... I'm not very good with weapons, so excuse my description. The first thing I woke up to was a rather large weapon pointed directly into my face, upon being kicked awake. So I was kicked awake and there was a gun barrel pointed in my face.