The Ottawa Police Services superintendent led the mission that finally cleared the Freedom Convoy in February, and on Wednesday was being grilled by the counsel for the Public Order Emergency Commission, Frank Au, on the impact the government’s proclamation of an emergency had on his plans.
Bernier said the invocation of the Emergencies Act on Feb. 14 for the first time in Canadian history did not significantly impact the planning process for the operation that cleared the streets of protesters around Parliament Hill four days later. “The plan I was developing was based on existing authorities,” he told the commission. “I was satisfied we were going to have all the authorities we needed to take action.”
