OPP inspector felt meeting with federal government could help protesters 'save face' and leave, inquiry hears

An Ontario Provincial Police inspector thought a meeting between federal government representatives and the convoy organizers who helped gridlock Ottawa last winter could have helped the protesters "save face, get a win and go home," evidence entered at the Emergencies Act inquiry shows.

The Public Order Emergency Commission heard Tuesday afternoon from OPP Insp. Marcel Beaudin about his role overseeing the provincial liaison teams, or PLTs.

Those teams are responsible for the front-facing work during demonstrations and are meant to coordinate with organizers, build relationships and make sure protests run smoothly.

"A common theme on the wall in the PLT room is that the truckers want to be heard," Beaudin wrote in a Feb. 6 email to the Ottawa Police, entered into evidence at the inquiry.

"Any efforts for communication with MPs, [Deputy Ministers or Assistant Deputy Ministers] may allow the group to save face, get a win and go home. Many people are tired and probably looking for an exit strategy. Hopefully you can find some."

Beaudin testified Tuesday that it wasn't the job of police to determine why people were occupying the city.

"I can't stop vaccinations," he said.

Deputy minister was open to 'providing incentives': Beaudin

Beaudin spoke to lawyers from the commission this past summer. The commission is holding an inquiry into the federal government's use of the Emergencies Act to quell the protests that gridlocked parts of downtown Ottawa for weeks. A summary of his interview was entered into evidence at the inquiry on Tuesday.

He told the commission that on Feb. 9, Rob Stewart, the then federal deputy minister of public safety, reached out via email to set up a meeting between himself, Beaudin and Jeffery Hutchinson, a senior adviser in the Privy Council Office.

The summary of Beaudin's interview with the commission said that when the men spoke the next day, Stewart and Hutchinson expressed interest in "diffusing the ongoing conflict and providing incentives for the demonstrators to leave Ottawa."

WATCH | 'I would buy an uncomfortable bed': OPP inspector compares protesters to house guests who won't leave 

'I would buy an uncomfortable bed': OPP Insp. Marcel Beaudin compares protesters to house guests who won't leave

2 years ago

Duration 0:40

During his testimony, Beaudin told former Ottawa police chief Peter Sloly's lawyer that if he had house guests who — like the convoy protesters — said they weren't sure when they would leave, he would put in something in place to ensure they eventually left his house.

The three men spoke again on Feb. 11.

"The plan at that point was to offer a meeting in exchange for demonstration leaders demanding that the trucks exit downtown and denounce any criminal activity," said the summary of Beaudin's interview.

Beaudin told the commission Tuesday the plan wasn't concrete but he felt it was something Stewart would take back for the government to consider.

"I honestly thought [Stewart] had great intentions of how he can try and help have some some sort of safe resolution to a very chaotic event in Ottawa," said Beaudin under questioning Tuesday.

"I think he was there for the right reason, to try and alleviate the protest and pressure on residents of Ottawa."

The next day, Beaudin said, he received an email from RCMP Commissioner Brenda Lucki, who was seeking assurances that the government's commitment to engage with protesters was solid before proceeding.

On Feb. 13, Stewart wrote to Beaudin saying that he could not secure a commitment from the government to meet with the protesters. 

PLT's credibility was damaged, says inspector

Beaudin said the idea became "dead in the water" after Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson announced the city had struck a deal with protesters to move trucks out of residential areas and on to Wellington Street.

Things didn't go according to plan, however. Ottawa city manager Steve Kanellakos testified last week that there were "communications issues" and police officers refused to let more trucks enter Wellington Street. Eventually, about 40 vehicles were allowed onto the street.

Kanellakos said the bigger problem was that many of the protesters in pickup trucks and other lighter vehicles refused to move from the residential streets where they were parked, and some even blocked the effort to concentrate the protest on Wellington Street.

"There wasn't an alignment of purpose by everybody that was on all those streets. They had different reasons for wanting to stay," he said.

The federal government invoked the Emergencies Act on Feb. 14.

Beaudin said he and the liaison team felt they had secured a win by getting protesters to move out of Confederation Park on Feb. 5 and were asked to help negotiate with organizers to remove fuel from the Coventry Road location, which was acting as supply headquarters for the protest.

On Feb. 6, Ottawa Police, with help from the OPP, raided the Coventry Road logistics camp and seized 3,700 litres of fuel and some vehicles.

Beaudin said the PLT's goodwill was damaged when Ottawa police then moved in to make arrests.

"You're going to damage the efficiency of PLT as being trusting," he said Tuesday.

The Public Order Emergency Commission is investigating the federal government's use of the Emergencies Act to quell the protests that gridlocked parts of downtown Ottawa for weeks.

The commission has been directed to examine the circumstances that led to the declaration of a public emergency, including the actions of police prior to and after the declaration.