By Canadian Press

Ex-Ottawa police chief says force couldn’t change much about response to convoy

Oct 26, 2022 | 12:03 PM

OTTAWA — The former chief of the Ottawa police says his officers couldn’t have done anything materially differently during the response to the “Freedom Convoy.”

A summary report of an interview with Peter Sloly has been submitted as evidence at the public inquiry investigating the federal government’s unprecedented use of the Emergencies Act in February.

In it, Sloly describes operating in the midst of turmoil within Ottawa police ranks, the police services board and city council as public pressure was mounting to end the demonstrations. 

Sloly also says the gaps in intelligence ahead of the protest show there is an excessive focus on Islamic extremism in Canada’s national security strategy at the expense of other threats. 

He resigned as the city’s top cop on Feb. 15, a day after the Emergencies Act was invoked, citing a “growing lack of confidence” in his leadership.

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Sloly is set to testify in public hearings in Ottawa on Friday.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 26, 2022.

David Fraser, The Canadian Press