Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Like everyone on this committee, like all Canadians, I'd like to know why trucks were allowed to roll into the centre of Ottawa and hold the entire city hostage. I'd like to know why supplies could be brought in without any restriction. I'd like to understand why the Ottawa Police Service didn't do more. I'd like to understand why members of the official opposition thought this was perfectly acceptable and, in fact, chose to spend time with the very people who held the city hostage. All Canadians would like to know that. I would like to know that.
Like Mr. Zuberi and Mr. Chiang, I've had the benefit of working in the public safety world. I spent time in the department and I've spent time with officials whom I know are working hard to try to figure this out, including from the RCMP, from CSIS and from the CBSA. This is not the time to be asking them to drop the important work they should be doing to try to keep Canadians safe: clearing these blockades and moving these domestic terrorists out of the places where they are holding Canadians hostage. Certainly, afterwards we can talk. We should be taking all the time, effort and energy required to listen, to hear and to ask very, very difficult questions.
I recognize there may be folks who don't like the way this is somehow characterizing a small group of people who certainly do not reflect the vast majority of truckers in this country and do not reflect the very good people in this country who don't agree with what is going on in Ottawa. Unfortunately, a small group of miscreants has taken over the entire narrative of peaceful debate and peaceful protest in this country.
We have to ask difficult questions of the police services; that is our job. However, the time to do it is not during an active operation.