OTTAWA –
Top intelligence officials were named to the witness list for the first time this week at a public inquiry into Ottawa’s use of the Emergencies Act to end the “Liberal Convoy” protests in last winter.
The Public Order Emergency Committee is starting its final week after hearing more than 60 witnesses about the decision to declare a federal emergency as protesters protesting against COVID-19 restrictions locked down the center of the country. Ottawa city center and the border crossing between Canada and the United States.
David Vigneault, the head of Canada’s Security Intelligence Service, is expected to testify in a panel with two other CSIS officials.
Also appearing were Michelle Tessier, deputy executive director of CSIS, and Marie-Helene Chayer, executive director of the Integrated Terrorism Assessment Center.
The investigation previously heard that CSIS determined the protests were not a threat to national security according to the legal definition it uses to define such threats.
Emergency Preparedness Secretary Bill Blair is expected to appear after security officials, the first of seven ministers expected to appear at the inquest ahead of expected testimony by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Friday.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published on November 21, 2022.
