In response to a new report from the Ottawa People’s Commission, Freedom Convoy Lawyer Eva Chipiuk told me it was Prime Minister Justin Trudeau who created an environment of fear in Ottawa, not the members of the Freedom Convoy. ."I do blame our Prime Minister Trudeau from the top starting this rhetoric of hate and division, and who’s the one that has to deal with it on the ground? It’s the police. Because of the hate, divisive rhetoric that came straight from our prime minister,” Chipiuk told the Western Standard. .The report entitled, What We Heard, was released Tuesday and smears the truckers and Freedom Convoy protesters as a heard of yahoos and hooligans. . (The Ottawa People's Commission is an anti-Convoy group that describes itself as "a grassroots effort" and "an initiative of the Centretown Community Health Centre. The What we Heard report is not to be confused with the Public Order Emergency Commission's report due in two weeks, prepared under the chairmanship of Commissioner Justice Paul Rouleau.).The People's Commission report states: "People who live and work in downtown Ottawa endured several weeks of widespread human rights abuse amidst a climate of threats, fear, sexual harassment and intimidation marked by racism, misogyny, antisemitism, Islamophobia, homophobia, transphobia, and other expressions of hate and intolerance." According to the Ottawa People’s Commission, white males deserve little but opprobrium. "While convoy organizers claimed there was diversity among the participants and supporters — and that was true to a limited extent — it is clear that the overwhelming majority of people involved in the protests were white males." .The report actually claims truck drivers drove into Ottawa residents and beat them up. I'm not making this up, dear readers..Chipiuk said Tuesday the report suggests “it was so bad that everyone failed them…. It sounds like the police just abandoned these people and the city” .Because of fables and storytelling like this, the lawyer said those who were there during the Freedom Convoy protests are “making sure history is pretty accurate” and that's why she read the testimonies of protesters into the record of the Emergencies Act Inquiry when she cross-examined Trudeau on Nov. 25, so they “became an exhibit." She said it is doubly insulting to people who are women, black or indigenous, to be told they are intolerant white males. .“Myself being a female [being called] a misogynist or a black person or indigenous person — they’re racist.” .“Let’s keep sharing those important stories from people who were actually there and not those who made it up in their heads.” We can put the prime minister in that latter group..Chipiuk also addressed the current controversy over Trudeau and the Liberal cabinet receiving a copy of the Emergencies Act Inquiry report two weeks before it was released to anybody else. She said, “No other commission in Canadian history has been conducted because of a lawful act,” and that the cabinet “also issued an Order-in-Council.” .“The cabinet, including Trudeau, wrote the mandate for the commission, in addition to what’s in the act [that created the inquiry] and it has a different deadline and that deadline is only for Trudeau and his cabinet,” she said..She said there are two reasons Trudeau might want to see the report first. .The “more sinister” reason would be Trudeau and the cabinet “would have some time with the report so they have time to ask for an amendment.” .“A less sinister view of it, they have an opportunity before anyone else to start their messaging campaign,” she said. .She notes the NDP pushed for an inquiry and that “We shouldn't be willy-nilly about any of this.” .Chipiuk is demanding that the government release the legal opinion that spurred Trudeau to invoke the Emergencies [War Measures] Act on Feb. 14, something it has so far refused to do.“That to me is incredibly shocking and I’m surprised more Canadians aren't’ outraged.” .The government is justifying this decision because Justice Minister David Lametti was a “fact witness” and any correspondence with him was covered by lawyer-client privilege. .“This is a legal opinion that all Canadians deserved to see,” Chipiuk told me. .The convoy lawyer said neither she nor her legal team were invited to attend the Public Order Emergency Commission sessions that occurred after Trudeau’s testimony on Nov. 2, 2022.“We didn’t really know about the process… we thought we would be part of the panel discussions after six weeks.” .Those opposed to Trudeau’s Emergencies [War Measures] Act were apparently not considered to be the kind of experts the commission wanted. .“After six weeks of so much evidence we weren’t invited to be part of the panel.” .They were told to email any questions or concerns to the lead lawyer working for the commission. .“You could really see many of the panel members were still using MSM [mainstream media] talking points; it’s like they hadn’t heard anything from the six weeks and they’re just providing their academic opinion.” .“So you can see how siloed it was.” Yes, and you can also see how this is all being driven to a pre-determined conclusion. Shame. Damn shame.
