A text conversation shown during the Public Order Emergency Commission revealed staffers at the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) and the Ministry of Public Safety discussed ways to label the Freedom Convoy as "extreme.".During cross-examination of former Ottawa Police Chief Peter Sloly, the lawyer for the Freedom Convoy, Brendan Miller, showed photographs of text messages between two staffers..On January 24, Mary-Liz Power from the PMO texted Alexander Cohen from Public Safety about the Freedom Convoy making its way towards Ottawa.."I just had a chat with Alex from PS who had an interesting idea,” Power’s text shows. Power then copied and pasted to Cohen what she said to the PMO on his and her behalf. .“As you saw in the pod goals chat, the truckers convoy and some of their more extreme comments (IE calling for J6 style insurrection) are getting more coverage in the media," Power said. She was referring to comments made by a few protestors, who hoped they could storm Parliament, similar to the Jan. 6 insurrection in Washington, D.C. last year..Power told the PMO Cohen was surveying whether his boss — presumably referring to Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino (Eglinton-Lawrence, Ont.) — would be interested in discussing the dangers of a similar insurrection happening in Ottawa..“I think there could be an opportunity to get in on this growing narrative of the truckers," Power continued. .Power went on to say that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau could make comments on the Freedom Convoy similar to what he said in the aftermath of the Jan. 6 insurrection..“Canadians are deeply disturbed and saddened. Violence will never succeed in overruling the will of the people. Democracy in the U.S. must be upheld — and it will be," Trudeau said at the time..Power said the "fine line to walk" would be making sure it didn't appear the PMO and Public Safety were directing police operations, "which obviously is not the goal here.".Cohen responded to the text he had an initial chat with Mendicino, who expressed support for the idea, but he wanted to "wait a day or two," because "there's a danger here that if we come down too hard, they might push out the crazies." .Mendicino appeared to be suggesting his office wanted the more extreme protestors in the Freedom Convoy to continue having a voice, which would make the movement as a whole easier to condemn.."I think that's fair," Power responded. "Apparently Global and others are working on stories, maybe we see how those land.".On Jan. 25, one day after the text conversation between Power and Cohen happened, Global News posted the story, "Far-right groups hope trucker protest will be Canada's 'January 6th.'.On Twitter, Conservative MP Bob Zimmerman (Prince George-Peace River, B.C.) said the text messages were a "deeply troubling bit of evidence.".Conservative MP Dan Albas (Central Okanagan-Similkameen-Nicola, B.C.) said the text messages were "disturbing.".Miller pointed out following the text messages from the two staffers, the federal government began using the "exact same narrative" on the Freedom Convoy. "Is that misinformation?" Miller asked Sloly.."I can't really comment," Sloly said. "There's just not enough context to know who these people are, what they represent, what information and what influence they have.".Several members of the Liberal cabinet, including Mendicino and Trudeau, are set to testify in front of the commission in November.
A text conversation shown during the Public Order Emergency Commission revealed staffers at the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) and the Ministry of Public Safety discussed ways to label the Freedom Convoy as "extreme.".During cross-examination of former Ottawa Police Chief Peter Sloly, the lawyer for the Freedom Convoy, Brendan Miller, showed photographs of text messages between two staffers..On January 24, Mary-Liz Power from the PMO texted Alexander Cohen from Public Safety about the Freedom Convoy making its way towards Ottawa.."I just had a chat with Alex from PS who had an interesting idea,” Power’s text shows. Power then copied and pasted to Cohen what she said to the PMO on his and her behalf. .“As you saw in the pod goals chat, the truckers convoy and some of their more extreme comments (IE calling for J6 style insurrection) are getting more coverage in the media," Power said. She was referring to comments made by a few protestors, who hoped they could storm Parliament, similar to the Jan. 6 insurrection in Washington, D.C. last year..Power told the PMO Cohen was surveying whether his boss — presumably referring to Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino (Eglinton-Lawrence, Ont.) — would be interested in discussing the dangers of a similar insurrection happening in Ottawa..“I think there could be an opportunity to get in on this growing narrative of the truckers," Power continued. .Power went on to say that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau could make comments on the Freedom Convoy similar to what he said in the aftermath of the Jan. 6 insurrection..“Canadians are deeply disturbed and saddened. Violence will never succeed in overruling the will of the people. Democracy in the U.S. must be upheld — and it will be," Trudeau said at the time..Power said the "fine line to walk" would be making sure it didn't appear the PMO and Public Safety were directing police operations, "which obviously is not the goal here.".Cohen responded to the text he had an initial chat with Mendicino, who expressed support for the idea, but he wanted to "wait a day or two," because "there's a danger here that if we come down too hard, they might push out the crazies." .Mendicino appeared to be suggesting his office wanted the more extreme protestors in the Freedom Convoy to continue having a voice, which would make the movement as a whole easier to condemn.."I think that's fair," Power responded. "Apparently Global and others are working on stories, maybe we see how those land.".On Jan. 25, one day after the text conversation between Power and Cohen happened, Global News posted the story, "Far-right groups hope trucker protest will be Canada's 'January 6th.'.On Twitter, Conservative MP Bob Zimmerman (Prince George-Peace River, B.C.) said the text messages were a "deeply troubling bit of evidence.".Conservative MP Dan Albas (Central Okanagan-Similkameen-Nicola, B.C.) said the text messages were "disturbing.".Miller pointed out following the text messages from the two staffers, the federal government began using the "exact same narrative" on the Freedom Convoy. "Is that misinformation?" Miller asked Sloly.."I can't really comment," Sloly said. "There's just not enough context to know who these people are, what they represent, what information and what influence they have.".Several members of the Liberal cabinet, including Mendicino and Trudeau, are set to testify in front of the commission in November.
