Feds refuse to disclose legal costs related to convoy commission

Cody - stock.adobe.com

The Public Order Emergency Commission (POEC), which initiated its investigation in April 2022 into the government's use of the Emergencies Act during the peaceful anti-mandate protests in Ottawa in February 2022, incurred a total cost of $17.5 million for taxpayers.

However, as first reported by Blacklock's Reporter Monday morning, the Privy Council won't divulge how much of those millions were spent on lawyers.

Feds won't disclose lawyers' fees or billable hours at $17.5M #FreedomConvoy inquiry. Truckers' counsel never asked for subsidies. https://t.co/Ee3aNeGpSy #cdnpoli pic.twitter.com/VamojgEIi9

— Blacklock's Reporter (@mindingottawa) October 30, 2023

The Emergencies Act granted police and authorities extraordinary powers of arrest, search, and seizure to end the three-week-long trucker-led demonstrations in the nation's capital

"Public Accounts tabled in Parliament indicated total cost of the Public Order Emergency Commission was $17,478,831. Only a single line item was detailed, a $17,171 expense claim by Justice Paul Rouleau," reported Blacklock's.

The PCO has not divulged billable hours on lawyers when records were requested by Blacklock's, although the groups which accessed funding to offset legal fees have been made public by the POEC.

Lawyers representing Freedom Convoy organizers Tamara Lich, Chris Barber, and convoy participant Tom Marazzo, as well as The Democracy Fund, Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms and the Attorney Generals of Alberta and Saskatchewan, did not apply for funding.

Canadian Civil Liberties Association, which dubs itself as a “a non-profit organization that receives no government funding for its advocacy purposes,” received a subsidy from the feds to appear at the POEC.

“@JustinTrudeau repeats same talking points of people feeling threatened during the protests, etc. Refers to the elections. Says some were in favour of public health measures and some were opposed which created frustration in the population. #POEC pic.twitter.com/fuIvXia5Cf

— Rupa Subramanya (@rupasubramanya) November 25, 2022

Criminal Lawyers’ Association, Canadian Council of Criminal Defence Lawyers and the Ottawa Coalition of Residents and Businesses representing nine community groups received POEC money as well.

Ottawa Coalition lawyer Paul Champ asserts that firetrucks had difficulty getting to an incident at the Chateau Laurier.

Ottawa city manager Steve Kanellakos says: “That’s actually not true.”#POEC pic.twitter.com/9hIz2qhZr6

— True North (@TrueNorthCentre) October 17, 2022

The criminal trial of convoy organizers Tamara Lich and Chris Barber is ongoing in Ottawa. To support their legal fees and to see Rebel News' reports from the courthouse, visit www.TamaraTrial.com.