RCMP Commissioner Hinted Ministers Considered Using the Emergencies Act in Early February: Text Messages

Police and protesters face off as authorities move to end the Freedom Convoy demonstration against vaccine mandates, in Ottawa on Feb. 18, 2022. (The Canadian Press/Cole Burston)

RCMP Commissioner Brenda Lucki told her Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) counterpart in early February that the federal government was losing or had lost confidence with Ottawa Police Service’s (OPS) management of the Freedom Convoy, and hinted Liberal ministers were considering using the Emergencies Act.

“Between you and I only, GoC [Government of Canada] losing/lost confidence in OPS...we gotta get to safe action/enforcement,” Lucki wrote in a text message to OPP Commissioner Thomas Carrique on Feb. 5.

“Cause if they go to the Emergency Measures Act, you or [I] may be brought in to lead...not something I want.”

The text messages were entered as evidence at the Public Order Emergency Commission on Oct. 27.

Carrique replied to Lucki he had just finished a meeting with his team and had reached out to Peter for a call, presumably then-OPS chief Peter Sloly.

Carrique asked if Lucki was available for a call but she replied she was on a call with ministers.

“Trying to calm them down, but not easy when they see cranes, structures, horses, bouncing castles in downtown Ottawa,” Lucki said.

“Any suggestions for calming them?”

“You don’t want to be on this call. Not good.”

Freedom Convoy

The Freedom Convoy trucker-led protest arrived in Ottawa on Jan. 28 and settled downtown.

OPS assessed before the convoy’s arrival that it would only remain for the weekend, despite OPP intelligence suggesting it would be there for the long haul.

City authorities and elected officials at different levels said the protest was an “insurrection” or that it represented “unprecedented violence.”

On the same day Lucki spoke about the mood of Liberal ministers, Carrique sent her an “End of Day Status Report,” presumably produced by his subordinates.

“Narrative is not aggressive or violent,” it says. “Crowd mood described as festive, no issues to report.”

The report indicates that protest organizers were in contact with police, advising them of their plans or making requests.

“Organizers advised [redacted] that they will ensure emergency routes will remain open, and there will be attempts to remove the wooden structure,’ says the report.

“Organizers describe that they are committed to keeping interactions with police positive.”

The only issues highlighted in the report came from the Parliamentary Protective Service, which was concerned about fireworks being launched due to the presence of fuel canisters in the area, and that it had “observed a significant amount of open alcohol being consumed within the protest zone.”