What went on during the Emergencies Act Inquiry | DAY 6 RECAP

The protesters travelled from across the country to protest COVID-19 mandates, and the inquiry is a fail-safe built into the law to prevent authoritarians from misusing it. 

On the sixth day of the commission, October 20, we saw witnesses Patricia Ferguson and Craig Abrams testify in front of the committee. 

Ferguson is the Acting Deputy Chief of the Ottawa Police Services. She has served in the force since 1995 and studied criminology at the University of Ottawa. She was in charge of police planning. 

Ferguson stated numerous times that the police believed the protesters would be coming to Ottawa only for the first weekend, which is her excuse for a long-term plan, a claim not supported by OPP testimony about what intel they had about the convoy as early as the middle of January, that the convoy was coming to stay. 

Ferguson also admitted that the Emergencies Act was useful, but not necessary, to resolve the situation in Ottawa. 

The second witness was Craig Abrams, a superintendent from the OPP, the Ontario Provincial Police. His testimony detailed the chaos and disorder inside the Ottawa Police Service. 

Abrams also affirmed that the OPP did not report any violence or criminality as part of the convoy and that he is not aware of any charges that had been laid as the convoy entered Ottawa. 

Abrams resumed his testimony on October 21, day seven of the commission.

Rebel News invited convoy lawyer Eva Chipiuk, who represents Tamara Lich alongside Keith Wilson from the Justice Center for Constitutional Freedoms, on our daily livestream. 

To stay informed with everything that’s going on, and to support our independent journalism, you can head over to TruckerCommission.com.