Emergencies Act Inquiry: Convoy lawyer testifies protesters received leaked police information

The lawyer representing some high-profile convoy movement leaders says the protesters who occupied streets in the nation’s capital for weeks, were receiving leaked police information.

Keith Wilson is a lawyer who was representing and working closely with key convoy organizers like Tamara Lich and Chris Barber.

Wilson told the hearing today that during the nearly month-long protest in Ottawa, they would get helpful information from police.

“There was numerous times where information would come into the operations centre from various police sources that a raid was imminent, and it happened many times,” Wilson said.

Wilson and convoy organizer Chris Barber made a TikTok video to encourage more people to join the protest in Ottawa, openly defying the order to leave the area.

Wilson said today that when he made the video, he never thought anyone would get hurt when enforcement action began, “I never imagined that our government, our federal government would use that level of force against non-violent, peaceful Canadians.”

For many, it wasn’t always peaceful, especially for those living in Ottawa. Evidence was given at the inquiry of racial slurs, intimation, and threats against Ottawa residents and public officials.

The commission is tasked with determining whether the government was justified in triggering the never-before-used Emergencies Act legislation. The inquiry is holding public hearings in Ottawa until Nov. 25.