RCMP’s Lucki Can’t Explain Text Messages in Which She Suggested Ottawa Wanted Support for Emergencies Act Retroactively
RCMP Commissioner Brenda Lucki couldn’t explain her text messages from early this year that suggested Emergency Preparedness Minister Bill Blair would seek retroactive support for the Emergencies Act (EA) from the police.
As first reported by the Globe and Mail, Lucki was approached by reporters outside a House of Commons committee on Oct. 31 regarding her text exchange with her Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) counterpart in February in which she suggested Blair would ask the police to express support for the EA—five days after it was invoked.
The text exchange was entered as evidence before the Public Order Emergency Commission (POEC) on Oct. 27, the day OPP Commissioner Thomas Carrique testified in person before the commission that examines the Liberal government’s use of the act.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau invoked the act on Feb. 14, using it as a means to quash the protests against COVID-19 mandates and restrictions by Freedom Convoy truckers and their supporters in Ottawa and across the country.
The act granted the police extraordinary powers to clear out protesters and granted banks the power to freeze the accounts of convoy organizers and supporters without a court order. Police began escalating their operation against the protesters in Ottawa on Feb. 18, and by mid-morning Feb. 20 they made 191 arrests and had 57 vehicles towed away.
‘I’m Not Sure’
The texts released to the public inquiry show that on Feb. 19, Lucki told Carrique that Blair could ask them for a letter to show support for the use of the act retroactively.
“Has Minister Blair hit you up for a letter to support the EA?” Lucki asked Carrique.
“No, he has not. Should I expect to hear from him?” Carrique replied.
Lucki didn’t answer over text but said in the next message that she had tried calling him.
Lucki told reporters on Oct. 31 that she was “never” requested to write a letter, but she was unable to explain why she sent the text to Carrique, reported the Globe.
“It was conversation in a text, I’m not sure,” she told reporters.
Annie Cullinan, communications director for Blair, denied the minister requested a letter from Lucki.
“Minister Blair was not in contact with OPP Commissioner Carrique to solicit a letter of support, nor did he request one from Commissioner Lucki,” Cullinan said in a statement to The Epoch Times previously.
The texts presented to the POEC also suggested that the Trudeau government could have contemplated invoking the EA in the early days of the protest. Lucki’s text to Carrique said she didn’t want the RCMP or the OPP to take over the Ottawa Police Service (OPS) in dealing with the Freedom Convoy.
‘Trying to Calm Them Down’
“Between you and I only, GoC [Government of Canada] losing/lost confidence in OPS … we gotta get to safe action/enforcement,” Lucki wrote on Feb. 5.
“Cause if they go to the Emergency Measures Act, you or [I] may be brought in to lead … not something I want.”
Carrique replied asking if she was free for a call, to which Lucki said she was still “on the call with Ministers.”
“Trying to calm them down, but not easy when they see cranes, structures, horses, bouncing castles in downtown Ottawa.”
Asked by reporters why she resisted the Mounties or OPP from taking over command, Lucki said, “That’s a misunderstanding,” but didn’t offer further explanation.
Lucki’s text conversation with Carrique at one point revealed that the commissioner floated the idea that members of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) could don the uniforms of RCMP to “supplement us.”
“I was thinking maybe we use CAF but in our uniforms as unarmed Auxiliaries or Spl. Csts. [Special Constables] to supplement us.. in teams,” she said on Feb. 13.
Noé Chartier contributed to this report.
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