On the eve of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau taking the historic step of invoking the Emergency Act in the Freedom Convoy that took Ottawa last February, the Prime Minister's National Security and Intelligence Assistant A government official told the Cabinet, "There is a possibility of making a breakthrough." ', court documents revealed.
Canada's Public Safety Minister's office said the advisors had "primarily" led the city of Ottawa after negotiations "ultimately failed." It is said that he was referring to Dismissed by many associated with the convoy.
Disclosures of potential breakthroughs contained in a summary of a Cabinet meeting on the evening of 13 February 2022 were recently filed in federal court. Included in one of several heavily redacted documents submitted. Civil liberties groups have legally challenged the government's overuse of the law.
The Toronto Star first reported on the document.
According to Cabinet meeting minutes, which are not verbatim, former Deputy Defense Minister and one of Trudeau's top advisers, Jody Thomas, told Trudeau and his Cabinet: Told. We have identified that it is important and that we may have a breakthrough in Ottawa, Ontario.
Protesters rallied against pandemic restrictions, clogging roads with trucks and other vehicles, blocking access to neighborhoods and highways around Parliament Hill.
The next day, on his February 14th, Trudeau invoked the Emergency Act for the first time in Canadian history.
In doing so, authorities were able to wipe out temporary powers, such as the power to freeze protesters' bank accounts and credit cards. Attending events considered illegal gatherings, such as the Ottawa Convoy protests, has also become illegal.
This act also allowed police officers from outside Ontario to participate in operations to end the protests. Debate on its merits dragged on in the House and Senate, even though police quelled the last remnants of the demonstration on February 19. Trudeau revoked this law five days later.
The section of the document made available in Court Papers does not contain details about the potential breakthrough Thomas cited on his February 13th.
However, according to a Public Security Service statement, Minister Marco Mendicino's office adviser referred to negotiations led by the City of Ottawa.
26}On February 13,the citydrove hundreds of protest trucks away from residential areas. Demonstration leaders.
According to Mendicino's office, city talks ultimately failed.
"The government considered this as a factor in its decision to invoke the emergency law," according to a statement.
"The situation remained precarious and the threat of a future lockdown remained. Prank calls.”
A few weeks after the occupation ended, Thomas said he would use this act. Defending decision, he said the protesters had been "dug out" and that "[they] definitely came." to overthrow the government.
Considered a "leading federal negotiator,"
the document was written by the Freedom Cabinet during his convoy and other members of the Government's Incident Response Group (IRG). It also sheds light on the behind-the-scenes discussions between
At a meeting held early on 13 February, the group argued that the lockdown would result in "continued economic losses of 0.1% of gross domestic product and 0.2% of his gross domestic product." I heard that there is a risk of causing The week they lasted.
That same day, police lifted a blockade on the Ambassador Bridge in Windsor, Ontario, a major supply link between Canada and the United States.
10 February, “Law enforcement has broader challenges and some may sympathize with the cause of the protesters, resulting in reluctance It's becoming."
Meeting minutes also show that Ottawa was considering appointing a "federal negotiator" for during the crisis. Publicly, Trudeau was against the idea of personally meeting members of the convoy. Only 5% of participants had a "strong commitment", while 80% reported a "weak connection to the cause" and the remaining 15% reported disapproval. "Swing factor".
According to the minutes of his IRG meeting that day, "Negotiators said the protest leaders would walk away and denounce the blockade in exchange for a promise to register their messages with the government." suggested that they may be encouraged to do so."