A proposal to engage with Freedom Convoy protesters involving high level officials of the federal government was scrapped in favour of invoking the Emergencies Act, the Public Order Emergency Commission heard Tuesday.
“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.
After the OPP and the RCMP provided their input on the proposal, Stewart reportedly brought it before cabinet ministers on the afternoon of Feb. 12, but it was evidently shot down….