After determining the Freedom Convoy wasn't a threat, officials asked demonstrators to move trucks, to which organizers agreed in less than 10 minutes, court heard Thursday...Crown witness Serge Arpin, former chief of staff to former Ottawa mayor Jim Watson, testified he and Dean French, former chief of staff to Ontario premier Doug Ford, banded together to make the plan. .Tamara Lich and Chris Barber, convoy organizers, are on trial facing charges of mischief, intimidation, and obstruction, as well as counselling to commit the same charges not committed. .Arpin said he emailed Tamara Lich in February 12, 2022 to ask if the convoy leaders would consider moving their trucks away from residential areas in downtown Ottawa because they were causing “disturbances” in “quality of life.” .He asked the trucks specifically be moved from certain areas starting February 14, as a “show of goodwill.” If the truckers agreed to do so, Watson would meet with them “to hear the issues out.”.Arpin told the judge he received a response in less than ten minutes from the convoy organizers which “stated that members of the convoy would strive to meet the terms of mayor Watson's letter,” The Democracy Fund tweeted. .However, Arpin never made “any subsequent observations to confirm whether members of the convoy had fulfilled their end of the agreement,” TDF continued. .The letter was drafted by Arpin and drafts were sent to French, with whom Arpin was acquainted, and acted as an “intermediary,” before being sent to Lich. .According to Arpin, French offered his support as a “goodwill representative” between the mayor’s office and the Freedom Convoy leaders. The two men drafted the letter on the understanding the “demonstrators did not intend to hurt Ottawa residents.”.“If they didn't intend to [hurt anyone], a correspondence between the two groups could potentially lead to solidifying “a deal to move trucks out of residential areas.”.“So we would not be played for fools,” Arpin added. .The Crown prosecution asked Arpin if he made any “personal observations” of the Ottawa core at the time of protest. .Arpin testified he “walked downtown” a few times and could hear “horns honking” from Ottawa City Hall..He saw trucks “spewing fumes,” and described the sound of an idling truck to be that of a “lawnmower.”.Arpin also said “he observed strong smells and loud noises,” TDF tweeted from the courtroom. .The defence argues on relevance, but the Crown “states that the evidence goes directly to mischief and obstruction,” TDF said. “Greenspon asks how this goes to the elements of either of those offences. [Justice Heather] Perkins-McVey agrees.”.Perkins-McVey said she “will not allow the Crown to continue it's line of questioning about feelings per se. However, she will allow the Crown to continue to expand on observations.”.Diane Magas, counsel for Barber, asked Arpin if he made any notes during the convoy. .He said he “did not, but that he did make some notes for the POEC (Public Order Emergency Commission), but that he discarded them,” TDF tweeted. .Magas pointed out he had a meeting with OPS Detective Benson, who testified earlier in the trial. .“[Arpin] may have added notes to file,” reads a note in Benson’s log book. . “Arpin states that he does not know what Benson meant by that, and indicates that he did not say that,” TDF said.
