A proposal to engage with Freedom Convoy protesters involving high-level federal government officials was scrapped in favour of invoking the Emergencies Act, the Public Order Emergency Commission heard Oct. 25.
“I would very much appreciate the opportunity to consult you on federal-level engagement with the protestors, so I can provide informed advice to Ministers,” then-deputy minister of Public Safety Rob Stewart wrote in an email to Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) Insp. Marcel Beaudin on Feb. 10.