While testifying at the Commons public safety committee, Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino said the Freedom Convoy truckers were rapists, suggesting “threats of rape” justified implementing the Emergencies Act, said Blacklock’s Reporter..“There were Ottawans who were subjected to intimidation, harassment, threats of rape,” said Mendicino..No Freedom Convoy member was charged with sexual assault..Former Crown prosecutor and Conservative MP of Brantford-Brant, Ont. Larry Brock questioned Mendicino’s claim, highlighting that cabinet never once mentioned sexual assault over the three days of Commons debate on the Emergencies Act..“The most disturbing aspect of what I hear is this rape allegation, a very heinous crime. We debated this particular issue for over 40 hours. Not once did the prime minister, did you or any other senior member of cabinet or any member of your backbench raise a rape allegation,” said Brock..“My question to you is very pointed: If that allegation did not result in a criminal charge will you undertake to provide this committee with proof of the allegation?”.Mendicino replied: “… the absence of criminal charges doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen.”.Conservative MP representing Kildonan-St. Paul, Man. Raquel Dancho asked why cabinet allowed MPs, senators, reporters, political aides, and the general public to walk past the convoy for over 24 days if protesters were known to be violent criminals..“Women on this panel right now walked past that protest every day and you are saying there was a threat to public safety?” said Dancho..“I just don’t how you could be saying on one hand this is a national emergency for public safety, and I walked every day past these protests. It just doesn’t really add up at all.”.Mendicino, at “the risk of generalizing,” as he put it, said for every one example of safe passage there are probably “thousands who did not feel any public safety.”.Timmins-James Bay, Ont., NDP MP Charlie Angus was the first to raise concerns of sexual assault in the Commons on February 3..“I have received three messages from young women around Gloucester and Metcalfe streets talking about the threats of rape they are facing because of the lawlessness and lack of police to protect residents in Centretown in Ottawa from this protest,” said Angus..Street crime in the neighbourhood declined during the blockade according to preliminary police data, said Blacklock’s..Cabinet invoked the Emergencies Act on February 14, making the claim that Canada was facing a national security threat as a result of the protesters..Assistant RCMP Commissioner Dennis Daley told the Commons public safety committee Friday the Act served a “deterrent effect.”.“The enactment of the Emergencies Act was an effective tool to not only deal directly with the leaders of the blockade here in Ottawa, but also as a deterrent effect,” said Daley..Bloc Québécois MP representing Avignon-La Matis, Que., Kristina Michaud said the government “used the crisis for political reasons.”.“It’s not enough to say it was useful,” said Michaud..“You must prove it was necessary and indispensable. I don’t want to minimize what has been said about the occupation, but someone in a hot tub in the middle of Wellington Street doesn’t seem to be a national security threat.”.Reid Small is a BC-based reporter for the Western Standard.,rsmall@westernstandardonline.com,.Twitter.com/reidsmall
While testifying at the Commons public safety committee, Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino said the Freedom Convoy truckers were rapists, suggesting “threats of rape” justified implementing the Emergencies Act, said Blacklock’s Reporter..“There were Ottawans who were subjected to intimidation, harassment, threats of rape,” said Mendicino..No Freedom Convoy member was charged with sexual assault..Former Crown prosecutor and Conservative MP of Brantford-Brant, Ont. Larry Brock questioned Mendicino’s claim, highlighting that cabinet never once mentioned sexual assault over the three days of Commons debate on the Emergencies Act..“The most disturbing aspect of what I hear is this rape allegation, a very heinous crime. We debated this particular issue for over 40 hours. Not once did the prime minister, did you or any other senior member of cabinet or any member of your backbench raise a rape allegation,” said Brock..“My question to you is very pointed: If that allegation did not result in a criminal charge will you undertake to provide this committee with proof of the allegation?”.Mendicino replied: “… the absence of criminal charges doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen.”.Conservative MP representing Kildonan-St. Paul, Man. Raquel Dancho asked why cabinet allowed MPs, senators, reporters, political aides, and the general public to walk past the convoy for over 24 days if protesters were known to be violent criminals..“Women on this panel right now walked past that protest every day and you are saying there was a threat to public safety?” said Dancho..“I just don’t how you could be saying on one hand this is a national emergency for public safety, and I walked every day past these protests. It just doesn’t really add up at all.”.Mendicino, at “the risk of generalizing,” as he put it, said for every one example of safe passage there are probably “thousands who did not feel any public safety.”.Timmins-James Bay, Ont., NDP MP Charlie Angus was the first to raise concerns of sexual assault in the Commons on February 3..“I have received three messages from young women around Gloucester and Metcalfe streets talking about the threats of rape they are facing because of the lawlessness and lack of police to protect residents in Centretown in Ottawa from this protest,” said Angus..Street crime in the neighbourhood declined during the blockade according to preliminary police data, said Blacklock’s..Cabinet invoked the Emergencies Act on February 14, making the claim that Canada was facing a national security threat as a result of the protesters..Assistant RCMP Commissioner Dennis Daley told the Commons public safety committee Friday the Act served a “deterrent effect.”.“The enactment of the Emergencies Act was an effective tool to not only deal directly with the leaders of the blockade here in Ottawa, but also as a deterrent effect,” said Daley..Bloc Québécois MP representing Avignon-La Matis, Que., Kristina Michaud said the government “used the crisis for political reasons.”.“It’s not enough to say it was useful,” said Michaud..“You must prove it was necessary and indispensable. I don’t want to minimize what has been said about the occupation, but someone in a hot tub in the middle of Wellington Street doesn’t seem to be a national security threat.”.Reid Small is a BC-based reporter for the Western Standard.,rsmall@westernstandardonline.com,.Twitter.com/reidsmall
