Parliamentary Committee Notes: Police Operations

Issue:

The unprecedented situation presented by and in response to the convoy protests resulted in a significant strain on implicated police services across Canada.

Response:

• All of Canada’s police services, including the RCMP, function independently of political direction or influence in operational decision-making and investigations. They are mandated with protecting the public and enforcing applicable laws, including the Criminal Code of Canada.
• On February 12, 2022, the RCMP, the Ontario Provincial Police, and the Ottawa Police Service established an Integrated Command Centre to develop and oversee a joint enforcement plan under the leadership of the Ottawa Police Service. Other police services providing support were also part of the Integrated Command Centre.
• There was also a National Capital Region Command Centre (NCRCC) that allowed for coordination among the OPS, OPP, RCMP, and Parliamentary Protective Service, as well as other partners including OC Transpo, paramedics and fire services, the Sûreté du Québec and the Ville de Gatineau.
• On February 14, 2022, the Governor in Council declared a public order emergency under the Emergencies Act.
• The RCMP redeployed its resources, where required and authorized, to support policing responses to the protests. This helped ensure the safety and security of our communities.
• Prior to the invocation of the Emergencies Act, approximately 532 RCMP officers were deployed to assist the Ottawa Police Service in the National Capital Region. Following its invocation, that number increased to 787 RCMP officers.
• It is important to note though that these deployment numbers do not reflect the totality of RCMP efforts. There were significant efforts from National Headquarters and program support behind the scenes.

Areas of RCMP Jurisdiction

• The RCMP were the police of jurisdiction for several of the blockades, where there is no provincial, regional, or municipal police service.
• The RCMP was able to use a measured approach and existing legislation to resolve border blockades at Emerson in Manitoba, Coutts in Alberta, and the Pacific Highway crossing in British Columbia.
• The proclamation of a public order emergency under the Emergencies Act and its associated measures provided all police officers across the country – not just the RCMP – with additional tools to address this crisis in a timely manner.
• Within Ottawa, provisions of the Emergencies Act granted the RCMP and policing partners new authorities to:
  • maintain and reinforce the perimeter;
  • restrict travel;
  • prevent children from being brought into the situation;
  • secure necessary equipment like tow trucks; and,
  • ensure that they could cut off financial support and other assistance – such as gas – for this unlawful blockade.
• These temporary powers also allowed RCMP officers to use provincial and municipal bylaws to affect a small number of arrests.
• Provisions of the Emergency Measures Regulations, made under the Emergencies Act, also introduced penalties for contraventions of the Act or Regulations. These supplemented existing provisions of the Criminal Code.

Emergency Economic Measures Orders

• The RCMP served as the central point of contact between the Ottawa Police Service, the Ontario Provincial Police, and financial institutions, to streamline the sharing of information and avoid duplication of efforts. The RCMP was not responsible for validating information pertaining to the Ottawa Police Service or the Ontario Provincial Police investigations.
  

Background:

RCMP

Emergency Economic Measures Orders

The RCMP served as the central point of contact between the Ottawa Police Service (OPS), the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP), and financial institutions, to streamline the sharing of information and avoid duplication of efforts. The RCMP was not responsible for validating information pertaining to the OPS/OPP investigation. The RCMP conducted database checks, verified social media and internet presence, and called individuals associated with registered vehicles present at the Ottawa blockades to enrich surveillance information collected in downtown Ottawa, that was received from the OPP.

With respect to crypto crowdfunding campaign, the funds raised were primarily in Bitcoin, and the Bitcoin transfers were visible to anyone who looked up the donation collection address.

On February 23, 2022, the declaration of a public order emergency under the Emergencies Act was revoked. As of that day, RCMP action culminated in:

• the freezing of 257 financial products by financial institutions, which included bank, corporate accounts, and credit cards;
• the disclosure of 57 entities to financial institutions, which included individuals, and owners or drivers of vehicles involved in the blockades; and,
• identifying 170 Bitcoin wallet addresses that were shared with virtual currency exchangers.

Law enforcement information provided to financial institutions only included information on owners and operators of vehicles who were active participants in the blockades in Ottawa. At no time did the RCMP disclose any information on individuals who solely donated to the Convoys, or purchase Convoy-related merchandise.

The RCMP also provided financial institutions with updated information regularly about owners and operators of vehicles, as their status changed vis-à-vis ongoing participation in blockade activity.

Areas of RCMP Jurisdiction

Surrey, British Columbia:

The protests in Surrey began on February 7, 2022 and were deemed to be unlawful on February 12, 2022. Throughout the three weeks of protests, police made a total of 18 arrests. There are multiple ongoing investigations into the unlawful activity that occurred.

Specifically, on February 19, 2022, a group of aggressive protesters surrounded members of the media. Police intervention was required due to the actions of the protesters, and to ensure that media members had safe passage to their vehicles.

Coutts, Alberta:

The protests in Coutts began January 29, 2022 and were deemed to be unlawful on the same day, once it was learned there was a full stoppage of traffic on the highway leading to the border. While the Alberta RCMP was able to conduct enforcement, they were engaged with protesters at the Coutts border crossing to find a peaceful and safe resolution for all involved. Another challenge faced was the lack of tow trucks. Tow companies declined to assist the police over concerns of repercussions from the trucking industry.

While they thought they had a path to resolution, the protesters eventually chose not to comply. The highway, as essential infrastructure, could not be blockaded. The Alberta RCMP became aware of a small, organized group within the larger Coutts protest, and because of information received and a subsequent complex investigation, the Alberta RCMP executed a search warrant during the early hours of February 14, 2022 on three trailers. This resulted in the arrest and detainment of 11 individuals. The blockade was resolved because of extensive negotiations between police and protest organizers and the subsequent arrests of several protesters engaged in criminal activity.

Emerson, Manitoba:

The blockade located at the Emerson Port of Entry was established on February 10, 2022 and was determined immediately to be unlawful. The Manitoba RCMP worked with the protesters and organizers to reach a peaceful resolution through dialogue and a measured policing response. No tickets were issued and no arrests were made. On February 16, 2022, protesters voluntarily left the blockade, and the border crossing was reopened.

Deployment of RCMP in Support of Policing Efforts

The current unprecedented situation presented by and in response to the convoy protests resulted in a significant strain on implicated police services across Canada. The RCMP redeployed federal policing resources where required to support policing responses to the protests to ensure the safety and security of our communities.

With respect to contract policing resources, the Commissioner of the RCMP has authorities under Article 9.4 of the Police Service Agreements to redeploy the necessary policing resources.  It stipulates that, if the Commissioner is of the opinion that an emergency in an area of federal responsibility exists, or is likely to exist, anywhere in Canada, the Commissioner may temporarily withdraw up to 10% of members from the service and the necessary equipment to deal with the emergency.  

If the emergency occurs within the province or territory, for the first 30 days Canada and the implicated provincial or territorial government will pay the costs of the withdrawal and redeployment at the usual cost-share (30/70, respectively).  Costs include salary, transportation, maintenance, and any necessary equipment.  After 30 days, Canada is responsible for 100% of the costs.

However, if the emergency exists outside the province or territory, the implicated provincial and territorial government will not bear the costs directly related to the withdrawal of provincial and territorial members and any necessary equipment regardless of the length of the emergency. They are responsible for the costs of backfilling their members while they are redeployed, should they choose to do so. 

Prior to any redeployment of its contract members in response to an emergency, the Commissioner of the RCMP would first consult implicated provincial and territorial ministers, and subsequently issue a letter detailing such plans addressed to those implicated ministers.

Other

Parliamentary Protective Services

Established by statute on June 23, 2015, the Parliamentary Protective Services (PPS) is comprised of personnel from the former Senate Protective Service, the former House of Commons Security Services, and the RCMP’s Parliament Hill Security Unit. PPS fulfills its physical security mandate throughout the grounds of Parliament Hill and the 34 buildings designated by the Speaker of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Commons that form the Parliamentary Precinct.

During the Freedom Convoy, in the National Capital Region (NCR) the PPS had in place its own critical incident command centre that was in communication with the National Capital Region Command Centre (NCRCC) and Integrated Command Centre (ICC). The PPS also held a position alongside other essential services at the NCRCC to ensure open communications and timely decision making. PPS maintained its operational and physical security mandate in protecting parliamentarians, parliamentary staff, employees, and visitors to the Precinct and to Parliament Hill. The Acting Director of the PPS was responsible for briefing the House of Commons and Senate.

Integrated Command Centre

On February 12, 2022, the RCMP, Ontario Provincial Police (OPP), and Ottawa Police Service (OPS) established the ICC to develop and oversee a joint enforcement plan under the leadership of the OPS. Other police services providing support were also part of the ICC. This enhanced tri-lateral partnership is a positive example of successful domestic cooperation that resulted in securing the NCR, removing the blockades, and safeguarding public safety and security.

The ICC provided enhanced and seamless communication and operational planning with all three partners to respond and disrupt blockades in the NCR. It was able to develop a time-sensitive and actionable plan that resulted in a safe and peaceful end to the blockades. This plan was actioned through ongoing communication between the ICC and NCRCC. It had seamless communication and were aware of all events as they unfolded. This communication allowed law enforcement to maintain its close protection stance, and disrupt any potential incidents, while also informing senior leadership of convoy participants’ behaviour.

Policing Investigations

The Ontario Province’s Special Investigations Unit (SIU) launched investigations into two police-involved incidents that occurred at the demonstrations in Ottawa.

The first incident suggests that on February 18, 2022, a Toronto Police Service officer on a horse engaged with a 49-year-old woman on Rideau Street and Mackenzie Avenue. The woman reported a serious injury. On April 4, 2022, the SIU announced that it had closed its investigation into this incident, as the woman’s injury was limited to a strained shoulder, which does not fall under the SIU’s definition of a ‘serious injury’.

The second incident suggests that on February 19, 2022, Vancouver Police Department officers discharged Anti-Riot Weapon Enfields (less-lethal firearms) at individuals around Sparks Street and Bank Street. No injuries have been reported.

Date modified:

2022-12-20