A Public Safety Department audit lauded its ethics, despite its role in falsely labelling the 2022 Freedom Convoy a violent, Russian-funded insurrection.

The Internal Audit on Values and Ethics lauded the department as a leader, stating that employees upholding values and ethical behaviour contribute to public confidence and integrity in public institutions.

However, their false claims of the Freedom Convoy include a debunked January 28, 2022, security bulletin that reported peaceful protesters were damaging downtown Ottawa office buildings, according to Blacklock’s.

https://twitter.com/mindingottawa/status/1967558943187911143

On February 16, 2022, Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino falsely claimed the Convoy was foreign-funded, while another minister said they "criminally intended" an attack on Canada.

Officials then claimed protesters harassed families, threatened women, and blocked daycare access, but records disproved these federal fabrications.

“Public safety employees … have a particular obligation to ensure that everything they do … reflects the Values And Ethics Code For The Public Sector and ultimately contributes to the safety and security of Canadians,” said the Internal Audit Of Values And Ethics.

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Furthermore, auditors affirm that values and ethics are a "moral compass," guiding public sector behaviour, decisions, actions, and culture. “Federal public servants have a duty to preserve public trust and uphold a professional, non-partisan public service,” they wrote

The audit made no mention of repeated false claims issued by the department to justify emergency measures against the Freedom Convoy.

Another scandal brews in the aftermath of the Emergencies Act ruling as intelligence agencies reportedly fabricated information to indict supporters of the Freedom Convoy.

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— Rebel News Canada (@RebelNews_CA) January 25, 2024

On February 14, 2022, then-Prime Minister Justin Trudeau invoked the Emergencies Act to disperse protests, allowing law enforcement to detain protesters, freeze bank accounts, confiscate assets, and dismantle peaceful blockades with force.

At the time, Trudeau accused Conservatives of supporting a "fringe minority" with "unacceptable" views, effectively branding protesters as radicals.

Intelligence agencies allegedly fabricated evidence to falsely label Freedom Convoy supporters as "far-right," then suppressed their message of peaceful unity with media assistance. Public alleges the government also fed "Five Eyes" false Convoy information to target citizens and counter populist aims.

The Federal Court ruled in 2023 that the department and other federal agencies acted unlawfully; though the government appealed the decision, which is pending.