Everything you need to know about the Johnston report. From @TorontoStar’s Ottawa bureau, starting with the main conclusions from @StephanieLevitz and me:

thestar.com/politics/feder… Johnston on the news stories about Chinese foreign interference that were based on leaks. He interviewed key officials, saw actual documents in their final and complete versions, and says it all tells “a different story.” By me and @StephanieLevitz

thestar.com/politics/feder…

David Johnston rejects public inquiry into foreign elections interference, says top secret info would have to be kept private, would not provide transparency, govt did not ignore or fail to act on info, media reports of leaked intel lacked context, in some cases were false. Our early story, from @levitz and me.
Johnston to hold public hearings into how intell gets shared thru public service & among political officials, that media reports gave incomplete, distorted and something “false” picture of Chinese-state meddling.
thestar.com/politics/feder…

I’m in the Gallery for speech to Parliament by @vonderleyen. Other than Zelenskyy’s speech via video I don’t think we’ve had a big speech in person by a visiting leader post-pandemic in the West Block chamber. @AnthonyRota says it’s a first by an EU Comm president to Cda park Trudeau introduces and welcomes her. In the crowd, MPs, a bunch of senators, staffers, PCO Clerk Janice Charette, former GG Adrienne Clarkson.
The public galleries are not filled though. Too bad. These are fun days to be a spectator.

Freeland is asked if the insurance suspension, fintrac coverage measures weren't used, how can she say they were necessary?
Freeland: this was crisis causing us to review our toolbox and saying, Okay, we're missing a screwdriver. Freeland notes fintrac measures were made permanent; the insurance measure was designed to "create an incentive for the trucks to move and I think it did..The insurance measure I saw and I see as like a virtual tow truck."

World Cup and Emergencies Inquiry. Everything you need to know this morning:

https://twitter.com/comma_chameleon/status/1595733975607246848

Day 30 of the Emergencies inquiry, another big one. Deputy PM Freeland + 3 of Trudeau's top advisors: chief of staff Katie Telford, deputy chief of staff Brian Clow, policy director John Brodhead.
But first, on that secret legal advice, by me & @aballinga
bit.ly/3V7ZUa6

New thread for Transport Min @OmarAlghabra He says it became obvious within a few days it wasn’t an ordinary protest and dept would soon be more involved.

New thread for Defence Minister Anita Anand testimony starting now. (A propos of nothing, after Lametti, I just thought this little extract of a staffer's text about the EA vote being withdrawn after it was revoked before the senate had to vote is funny.

New thread for testimony of Justice Minister and Attorney-General David Lametti, starting here. GoC lawyer has a caveat about Lametti, says he's the lawyer to the GoC as AG, and so govt maintains claims of solicitor-client privilege, and his attendance is not a waiver of that. Lametti will refuse to answer all such questions
(meaning legal advice EA wasn't tied to CSIS def)

Day 29 (and it is Day 29 bc I forgot we didn't sit Nov 11).
Starting w/ a ruling fr Justice Rouleau who dismisses Freedom Corp's bid to advance that conspiracy theory. We reported about the convoy lawyer's theory here: thestar.com/politics/feder…

New thread for testimony by Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Dominic LeBlanc. LeBlanc is a rare witness to testify, or even start off in French. (French has been conspicuously absent at this inquiry.)

Day 28 of oral testimony (or day 29 of hearings, take your pick). We - @aballinga and I - will post updates. Here's what to look for today.
Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino to testify at inquiry on why government invoked Emergencies Act. thestar.com/politics/feder… Mendicino is sworn in, briefly introduces himself, former Crown prosecutor, MP since 2015, now public safety min.

Blair clarifies he didn't know much of Sloly's experience managing large public protests.
Sloly's involvement in the G20 was very limited, Blair says.
But he made Sloly field commander in charge of 4,000 officers in Toronto. Blair says Sloly reached out to him, about challenges of taking over new organization, and changes he wanted to make

Blair's shown document that references a potential "breakthrough" (which OPS lawyer wrongly characterizes as Ottawa police plan. It was wrt that Ottawa mayor deal to move trucks onto Parl Hill fr neighbourhoods). Blair first says he knew there was an integrated plan, then says he doesn't recall exactly the nature of the potential breakthrough, but also knew enforcement action was taking place in Coutts.

New thread for the political part of this. Rouleau says it's unusual to hear from sitting cabinet ministers, and inquiry may need to accommodate their needs to vote since the HoC is sitting.
Also reminds everyone not to lose sight of the reason we're here, that it needs to be focused on subject of the inquiry.

Aand...we're back. Day 27 at the #poec.
I'm back w/ Ballingall.
CSIS panel up first, then Emergency Preparedeness Min Bill Blair today. We've written based on previews of CSIS director David Vigneault's advice here: bit.ly/3UWySSN
and here: bit.ly/3ginNg1

New thread for afternoon testimony of PCO clerk Janice Charette and dep clerk Nathalie Drouin (once dm at justice during the SNC-Lavalin days). (Charette btw was not kept on as the PCO clerk when Trudeau was first elected. She went to high commission in UK, but came back after Ian Shugart stepped aside)

New thread for Jody Thomas testimony. She's Trudeau's Nat Sec and Intel Adviser. Thomas used to be deputy at national defence before she took the NSIA job.

Day 25 of #poec testimony starts w/ announcement we get 285 new documents today- municipal and provincial and witness statements. By me and @aballinga
Follow testimony by Freeland’s deputy minister Michael Sabia, and two of his assistant deputies, Rhys Mendes and Isabelle Jacques here: thestar.com/politics/feder…

New thread for two new witnesses: deputy transport minister Michael Keenan, and Christian Dea, chief economist at Transport Canada, now testifying. (There aren't many paint-drying moments in testimony, but right now is one.)

Day 24 of the #poec begins w/ former head of CBSA John Ossowski.
You can follow me and colleague @R_SPatel today on developments here:
thestar.com/politics/2022/… Here's me and @aballinga on the -let's say interesting - testimony of RCMP Comm. Brenda Lucki and other Mounties by end of day yesterday. thestar.com/politics/feder…

New thread for afternoon cross-examinations of Lucki and Duheme by convoy lawyer Brendan Miller. Miller asks RCMP commish to confirm this assessment that, contrary to suggestions yesterday, that there weren't grave threats or incidents w/ diplomats under protection in Ottawa during convoy. Lucki doesn't know what was said y'day, she'd have to look at RCMP threat assessment.