00:06:35.960What can you tell us about—was that just a worry, or were you actually seeing sort of threatening or aggressive behavior right at the outset?
00:06:46.320So first, coming across Canada—and I'm going to speak bluntly, but I have to say that—I'm trying to be blunt, but I don't have all the facts in relation to this.
00:06:58.060Because there was almost no reported criminal activity of any of this activity coming across Canada.
00:07:07.140There was a motor vehicle collision on the day before the event, and that had to do with somebody running into somebody who was in the Freedom Convoy.
00:07:13.220So it was conspicuous for the absolute lack of criminal activity.
00:07:18.180You didn't see any evidence in the intelligence of espionage or in support of espionage. Is that correct?
00:07:33.980You didn't see anything in the evidence—any evidence in the intelligence of any form of foreign-influenced activities within or relating to Canada that involved the threat to any person?
00:07:44.540Yes. I saw media accounts, yes. I saw no information collected or intelligence produced in that regard, no, to support that, no.
00:07:54.260Now, for my following question, when I say serious violence against a person, you'll understand I mean violence that would result in serious personal injury, okay?
00:08:04.780You didn't see any evidence in the intelligence of activities within or relating to Canada directed toward or in support of the threat of a use of acts of serious violence against persons for the purpose of achieving a political, religious, or ideological objective within Canada or a foreign state.
00:08:25.080So, yes, I know where you're going, and I want it to be fair to my colleagues in planning.
00:08:31.220I saw online rhetoric. I saw information on social media. I saw assertions of that type of activity. Information.
00:08:42.420I'm aware of no intelligence that was produced that would support concern in that regard.
00:08:50.560Thank you. And now, for my next question, when I say serious violence against property, you'll understand I mean violence against property of the nature such as arson or destruction, a bomb, that sort of thing, okay?
00:09:05.000You didn't see any evidence in the intelligence of activities within or relating to Canada directed toward or in support of the threat of use of acts of serious violence against property for the purpose of achieving a political, religious, or ideological objective within Canada or a foreign state.
00:09:22.460So, again, not to be contradictory because I'm just trying to be fulsome.
00:09:26.720Our role is crime prevention, law enforcement, assistance to victims, public order, and emergency management.
00:09:34.900Therefore, in relation to the things you're discussing, we collected all the information, which some information asserted attempts at that.
00:09:43.860So, we did see that and had to consider that.
00:09:47.640Did we have any credible intelligence that that would occur? No.
00:09:51.880You stated earlier that you did have tow trucks lined up and that they were on their way to Ottawa prior to the invocation of the Emergencies Act. Isn't that true?
00:10:01.940And your interview summary says that OPS knew that if it arrived with tow trucks, many protesters would leave because the trucks were their home and livelihood. Do you stand by that statement?
00:10:13.660All right. Those are my questions. Thank you.
00:10:15.300In your view, was the Emergencies Act necessary to end the protests in Ottawa?
00:10:24.180Well, that's a loaded question. I'm a police officer. Parliament gives us legislation. We don't make legislation. They provide it to us and we use it to the best of our abilities.
00:10:35.420They gave us a piece of legislation to use. We were thankful for it and we used it to the best of our abilities to incorporate in our plan.
00:10:42.780And in your view, was there a police solution to the demonstrations?
00:10:52.000There was a solution and we reached that solution. We had some help with the EMCPA, the Emergency Humanity Civil Protection Act regulations that we have with the province and the Emergencies Act.
00:11:02.960But in my humble opinion, we would have reached the same solution with the plan that we had without either of those pieces of legislation.