The Canadian Constitution Foundation is jointly proposing, with the Canadian Civil Liberties Association and the Ottawa Coalition, that Ontario Premier Doug Ford and Solicitor-General Sylvia Jones be called forthwith to give evidence at the Public Order Emergency Commission (Rouleau Commission).
In light of the testimony of Steve Kanellakos, Serge Arpin and Mayor Jim Watson—Ford and Jones’ evidence is relevant and necessary to a full and accurate determination of the facts.
The evidence of Messrs. Kanellakos, Arpin, and Watson, and related documents describes numerous attempts to persuade Premier Ford and Minister Jones to join those intergovernmental processes, their apparent refusal to participate, and the frustration of federal and municipal officials at this refusal. Moreover, Mayor Watson testified that the province should have participated in these discussions, and if it had, provincial policing resources may have been provided more quickly to the City of Ottawa.
That evidence also describes the apparent position of Prime Minister Trudeau that Mayor Watson should seek provincial resources before requesting further federal support.
“The Emergencies Act is a last resort that can only be used when all other legal authorities are ineffective. Premier Doug Ford and Minister Sylvia Jones must answer why the Premier did not use his emergency powers under Ontario’s Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act to address the Ottawa protests”, said Sujit Choudhry, counsel for the Canadian Constitution Foundation at the Rouleau Commission and in the Federal Court challenge to the public order emergency.
Image by Bruce Reeve used under CC 2.0.