The same day the federal Liberal government invoked the Emergencies Act, the Ontario Provincial Police warned in an internal intelligence report that those protesting in Ottawa were not going to leave voluntarily.
The Feb. 14 report, released through the Public Order Emergency Commission on Wednesday, showed the provincial police based their assessment on how long the blockades around Parliament Hill had dragged on, as well as the scope of the protest and “nature of the conflict.”
“There is no clear pathway toward reaching a satisfactory resolution that would see the protest group leave voluntarily,” the report says. Acting Supt. Robert Drummond of the Ottawa police told the public inquiry on Wednesday that the invocation of the Emergencies Act meant protesters were unable to keep moving their trucks onto Wellington Street, which was shut down to pedestrians and vehicles, and changed the circumstances of the deal with the protest organizers.
On Tuesday, Supt. Robert Bernier, who oversaw the Ottawa police command centre for part of the “Freedom Convoy” demonstrations, told the public inquiry that the federal government did not need to compel tow truck drivers to remove vehicles refusing to leave downtown. Asked directly if he agreed whether the emergency powers to compel towing services were helpful and beneficial, but not necessary, Bernier said yes, with a caveat that before Feb. 13, they were having challenges getting tow truck companies. By that date, he said, “I was satisfied that we were good.”