The former Ottawa police chief never saw fit to announce the illegality of the Freedom Convoy directly to the protesters who occupied his city before the invocation of emergency measures, a- he admitted on Monday during the Rouleau commission.
“With all the media coverage, the media, social media, it would be hard to believe that an individual would have understood that there was no illegality,” said Peter Sloly before Judge Rouleau.
Chief Sloly continued his testimony that began on Friday, in which he notably criticized the “misinformation” in the media, which he said did not adequately present the efforts of the police. Monday was devoted to his cross-examination by lawyers from different parties, such as his former employer, the federal government or even certain demonstrators, gathered under the banner of a company, Freedom Corp.
“The Ottawa Police Service, or your office, at any time prior to the report [des mesures d’urgence]had not given formal notice to protesters that it was an illegal assembly and that they should leave [les lieux] ? asked the protesters’ lawyer, Brendan Miller. “That’s right,” replied Mr. Sloly.
The duty collected numerous testimonies from demonstrators present during the blockades in the federal capital last winter, who believed their action was legal, even protected by the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Ottawa police began distributing warnings on vehicle windshields in the days following the invocation of emergency measures on February 14.
The day the illegality of the occupation was announced on giant loudspeakers, February 18, coincides with the methodical police operation that put an end to the motorized demonstration against sanitary measures. Peter Sloly had already resigned from his position at this time.
Not appreciated by the chef
The 13e The Emergency Commission’s day of public hearings also provided further details on the disagreements that existed between the Ottawa Police Chief and an Ontario Provincial Police negotiator.
These disagreements would have led Peter Sloly to evoke the castration of Dave Springer, a member of the Provincial Liaison Team (PLT, according to the jargon), according to the notes of Mr. Sloly’s assistant.
On February 9, Constable Springer sent an email advising to reach an agreement with protesters blocking Sussex and Rideau streets, a street corner associated with the Quebec group Farfadaas, to allow them to join the main demonstration in front of the parliament. . That day, a major police intervention aimed precisely at dislodging them from this place was derailed because of internal debates on the dangerousness of the operation.
According to notes from Ottawa Deputy Chief of Police Patricia Ferguson, the provincial officer reportedly showed up at a commanding officer’s office to “tell him what to do,” a visit that was discussed at a meeting, February 10. “The chef responded by saying that if he did that he would chop off Dave Springer’s balls,” the handwritten notes read.
Asked about it on Monday, Peter Sloly said he does not remember the incident, and that “he never said anything like that”. On the other hand, he criticized Ms.me Ferguson, “extremely editorial,” which make him look bad. She had notably criticized the chief for his micromanagement of police operations, and described the internal climate in the police as “insurgency”.
Chief Sloly’s February 11 memos document failed negotiations with protesters who were “partying” and acting in “bad faith.” This same document mentions the search for heavy tow trucks. On Monday, Peter Sloly said that the Royal Gendermerie of Canada had sought to acquire such vehicles on the Kijiji classifieds site.
$185,000 in consultants
The commission on Monday released an invoice from the communications consulting firm Navigator. During the Freedom Convoy crisis, $185,992.85 in public funds was spent by the Ottawa Police to analyze articles, columns and internet posts that tarnished the leader’s reputation.
Documents also show that Mr. Sloly had suggested names of “interlocutors” to negotiate with the participants in the occupation of the Freedom Convoy. He saw the former aboriginal senator Murray Sinclair, the Canadian ambassador to the UN Bob Rae or the lawyer for international tribunals Louise Arbor negotiating on behalf of the government with the leaders of the Convoy.
He reiterated on Monday that the Freedom Convoy protests were beyond the capabilities of the Ottawa police since, he said, it was a provincial, national event, “with even an international aspect.”
Leaders of the movement will appear from Tuesday, starting with Saskatchewan’s Chris Barber, Ontario’s Brigitte Belton and Farfadaas leader, Quebec’s Steeve “l’Artiss” Charland. Other organizers will follow in the next few days, such as Patrick King and Tamara Lich.