A new round of Freedom Convoy reviews is coming. Here's what you need to know

The inquiry that will examine the federal government's reasons for using emergency measures to end last winter's Freedom Convoy protests is asking members of the public to share their stories of the occupation of downtown Ottawa.

Meanwhile, a parallel process to document Ottawa residents' experiences during the crisis has announced hearings that will coincide with the inquiry's hearings.

Last week, the Public Order Emergency Commission — the official name for the public inquiry — put out a call for submissions from people describing what they experienced during the protests and their thoughts about the unprecedented use of the Emergencies Act.

The commission is hoping to get email responses by early September, a few weeks before its hearings launch at the Library and Archives Canada building on Sept. 19. Some of the submissions may be read aloud during the hearings.

"We hope the public — whether they participated in protests, were affected by them or otherwise have views on the protests and the government's use of the Emergencies Act — will take advantage of this opportunity to participate in the work of the commission," a spokesperson for the commission said via email. 

A new page on the commission's website lays out in more detail what the inquiry wants to learn from the public. 

The inquiry will examine the measures the federal government took under the act and the circumstances that led to its use. Multiple witnesses — including police officials, business owners and protesters — are expected to testify. 

"Among other things, the hearings will provide an opportunity for the commission and the public to hear an explanation from ministers and officials of the federal government [of] why the government deemed it necessary to invoke the Emergencies Act," the Public Order Emergency Commission spokesperson said.

Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson will appear before the commission, his office has confirmed.

The Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms, a group that's been associated with Freedom Convoy figures such as Tamara Lich, said last week it has not yet finalized its proposed list of witnesses for the Public Order Emergency Commission, adding that the commission would have the final say.

A complete list of witnesses will be released closer to the inquiry's launch, the commission spokesperson said. 

People or groups who already have been permitted to cross-examine witnesses, or have been granted other forms of "standing" during the inquiry, may also testify themselves, the spokesperson added.

The inquiry's efforts to record public experiences of the occupation overlap with the focus of the Ottawa People's Commission.

A grassroots effort, the Ottawa People's Commission bills itself on its website as a venue "to address [people's] trauma and their losses — but also to hold to account governments and authorities that failed to end the occupation and protect public health and safety."