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Nov 25 • 4 tweets • 2 min read
Ok. It's the big show at the #POEC, the grand finale, and there is a buzz of Santa-is-coming excitement at the inquiry today. But Santa isn't coming. It's PM @JustinTrudeau, the last and most-anticipated witness who triggered the #EmergenciesAct to quash the "Freedom Convoy."
@JustinTrudeau On the way in this morning, media had to get sniffed by dogs and searched. There was a big line of people passing through airport-style security as well, including one guy I saw with a "FUCK TRUDEAU" flag. (A guard told me he won't be allowed to bring it inside)
We've already had 30 days of legal arguments, contradictory evidence, revelations of tensions and dysfunction between and within different police agencies and governments, and an effort to advance a conspiracy theory about racist flags at the occupation in Ottawa.
And here we go with Trudeau to zip it all up.
Follow me and @TondaMacC for updates!

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More from @aballinga

Alex Ballingall Profile picture
Nov 25
We're back, and Chaudhury says she will put some of the criticisms of the EA invocation to Trudeau.
The first one is the assertion that it was "anti-democratic" to trigger the EA.
Trudeau says the EA was debated in parliament years ago, and that the EA includes "mechanisms afterwards to ensure that it was not used erroneously or lightly."
He outlines three: votes in parl on the declaration, requirement for a parl committee to study, and the inquiry itself
Do those accountability mechanisms work?
Trudeau says going through an inquiry like this "is not something that any government would undertake lightly" and there is a serious challenge function going on.
Read 25 tweets
Alex Ballingall Profile picture
Nov 25
They call Trudeau to the stand. Nothing happens. Rouleau: "This is a bit anti-climactic."
He calls for a five minute break but just as he's leaving JT walks in. Everyone laughs.
He's on the stand now.
The lawyer questioning Trudeau on behalf of the inquiry is Shantona Chaudhury.
Trudeau, speaking in French, says they noticed a frustration in preceding months of the convoy with governments and pandemic health measures. They also saw this in the 2021 federal election, he says.
Read 91 tweets
Alex Ballingall Profile picture
Nov 24
OK we're back with Part 2 of the day: Katie Telford, Brian Clow and John Brodhead of the PMO. #POEC
They're talking about what the PMO is and what they do. Telford is Trudeau's chief of staff. Brodhead is director of policy. Clow is one of 2 deputy chiefs of staff, oversees policy, communications, issues/parl affairs, global affairs, COVID teams.
Clow says PMO started to hear about the convoy and possible road blockades the week of Jan. 17. Trudeau started to get daily updates the week of Jan. 24, he says.
Read 23 tweets
Alex Ballingall Profile picture
Nov 24
Ok we're back at the #POEC. Canadian Constitution Foundation asking @cafreeland questions now.
@cafreeland Freeland being asked about the Section 2 threat definition thing.
Basically the same definition of a national security threat is in the CSIS Act and EA, and CSIS said they didn't think such a threat existed according to their act. But the feds concluded they could use a broader interpretation of that definition.
Read 19 tweets
Alex Ballingall Profile picture
Nov 24
We're back, and Freeland is talking about whether small donors would be caught up in the emergency orders (we've heard from Sabia et al that no small donors had their accounts frozen)
She says she's really glad no small donors had their accounts frozen, but she was worried that some would be at the time and this would exacerbate doubts in the gov't.
Freeland shown notes at a Feb. 19 meeting of the incident response group in cabinet. It says she told them of concerns about the safety of bank tellers after the EA was invoked.
Read 49 tweets
Alex Ballingall Profile picture
Nov 24
Hello #POEC fans and followers. It's Day 30 of this thing, the penultimate day of testimony. We have Finance Minister and Deputy PM @cafreeland up this morning, followed by a trio of PMO officials including JT's chief of staff @telfordk. Follow me and @TondaMacC for updates!
@cafreeland @telfordk @TondaMacC Freeland starts by explaining what the minister of finance is.
Also deputy PM, which she says is more loosely defined. She thinks it means she will do whatever PMJT needs her to do. "I maybe am especially involved in areas where I have a particular background or knowledge or expertise" like Ukraine/Russia.
Read 29 tweets

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