Meanwhile, a parallel process to document the experiences of Ottawa residents during the crisis has announced hearings to coincide with the inquiry hearings. Last week, the Public Order Emergency Commission – the official name for the public inquiry – called for submissions from people describing what they experienced during the protests and their thoughts on the unprecedented use of emergency law . The committee hopes to receive responses via email by early September, a few weeks before hearings begin at the Library and Archives Canada building on September 19. Some of the submissions may be read aloud during the hearings. “We hope that the public – whether they have been involved in protests, been affected by them or have views about protests and the government’s use of emergency law – will take this opportunity to get involved in the committee’s work,” he said. a spokesman for the commission said via email. A new page on the commission’s website sets out in more detail what the inquiry wants the public to know. The inquiry will examine the actions taken by the federal government under the law and the circumstances that led to its use. Many witnesses – including police officers, business owners and protesters – are expected to testify. “Among other things, the hearings will give the committee and the public an opportunity to hear explanations from ministers and federal government officials [of] because the government found it necessary to invoke the Emergency Act,” said the spokesman for the Public Order Emergency Committee. Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson will appear before the commission, his office confirmed. Tamara Lich, who organized a fundraiser for the Ottawa protest that turned into a weeks-long blockade, hugs supporters as she leaves a courthouse in Ottawa after being granted bail on March 7. (Justin Tang/The Canadian Press) The Justice Center for Constitutional Freedoms, a group that has been linked to Freedom Parade figures like Tamara Lich, said last week that it had not yet finalized its proposed witness list for the Public Order Emergency Commission, adding that the commission would have the last word. A full list of witnesses will be released closer to the start of the investigation, the Commission spokesman said. Individuals or groups who have already been allowed to cross-examine witnesses or have been allowed other forms of “the stand” during the investigation may also testify themselves, the spokesman added.
Untold stories
Research efforts to document public experiences of occupation overlap with the focus of the Ottawa People’s Commission. In a grassroots effort, the Ottawa People’s Committee describes itself on its website as a place “to address [people’s] trauma and their losses — but also to hold accountable governments and authorities that have failed to end the occupation and protect public health and safety.” Unlike the public inquiry, which will hold hearings continuously until October 28, the Ottawa People’s Commission is expected to hold hearings and public meetings on and off for several months in yet-to-be-confirmed public venues. The first of those hearings will begin a few days after the public inquiry begins “to make sure the inquiry is very much in the foreground,” said Alex Neve, one of three commissioners who chair the popular commission. “We see it all as complementary,” said Nev, an assistant professor of international human rights law at the University of Ottawa and Dalhousie University. “Obviously there’s a limited amount of public bandwidth… But I think there are ways that what comes out will build on each other.” WATCHES | The People’s Committee hopes to unlock untold stories of the convoy:
The People’s Committee hopes to unlock untold stories of the procession
Alex Neve, one of the three commissioners of the Ottawa People’s Committee on Escort Occupancy, says there are still residents’ stories waiting to be told. Neve said he hopes the people’s commission’s close focus on residents’ experiences will build trust and draw out those who are reluctant to share their stories. “I’m already starting to hear that there are many, many people who were just too scared,” he said. Both commissions aim to release final reports in February 2023. Neve said the popular commission may also release preliminary findings before Ottawa’s Oct. 24 municipal election.
3 more reviews in progress
Three other proceedings examining the effects of possession and the use of the emergency law are ongoing. A joint committee of senators and congressmen began holding hearings to invoke the act in March, just weeks after the last protesters were dispersed by more than a dozen police agencies. Among other things, the committee heard from Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino that the Ottawa Police Service’s control of Wellington Street — the thoroughfare in front of Parliament Hill that became the noisy core of the occupation — created policing challenges. A committee official said last week that as the House of Commons begins its autumn session on September 19, more committee meetings may be held. A different group – the House of Commons standing committee on procedure and parliamentary affairs – has held meetings to discuss whether to extend the boundaries of the parliamentary constituency to include Wellington Street. Yasir Naqvi, MP for Ottawa Center and a committee member, said he would like to see the road permanently closed to vehicles. “What I want to see in the flesh is, how do we encourage Canadians to participate in peaceful and legal protests, but not take it to a place where we saw in January and February of this year?” he said. “I hope that all these different processes that are taking place will help move us in that direction.” WATCHES | Don’t create a ‘safe haven’, MP says:
Don’t create a “safe haven,” MP says
Liberal MP Yasir Naqvi, a member of a House of Commons committee exploring the idea of expanding the boundaries of Ottawa’s parliamentary districts, talks about the need to balance people’s right to protest with ensuring safe public spaces. The House’s standing committee on procedures and affairs will produce a report with recommendations, but its timeline is unclear. Meanwhile, the city of Ottawa’s auditor general is conducting a review of the city’s response to the occupation. Many complained that the Ottawa Police Service took too long to take decisive action against the illegal protesters. Public consultations took place last month to clarify the scope of this review. details to be announced in the coming weeks. The review does not include public hearings and accepts anonymous submissions from the public. No date has been set for the publication of the audit report.
