Retired OPP officer describes 'unprofessional and disrespectful' meeting with Ottawa police during convoy

A former senior officer with the Ontario Provincial Police described a tense and sometimes distrustful relationship between his team and the Ottawa police during the Freedom Convoy protests last winter.

Carson Pardy, a now-retired OPP chief superintendent, ran what was called the integrated planning cell, which was set up to help the Ottawa Police Service (OPS) during the Freedom Convoy.

According to documents filed Friday with the Public Order Emergency Commission, Pardy was pulled into a meeting on Feb. 8 with the head of the OPP and other senior officials. There he was told his team's mandate was to support Ottawa police and help rebuild trust.

"The public had lost trust in OPS because it perceived that the Freedom Convoy protesters were going unchecked," says a summary of the evidence Pardy gave the Public Order Emergency Commission.

The inquiry is investigating the federal government's use of the Emergencies Act to quell the protests that gridlocked parts of downtown Ottawa for weeks.

Pardy said that during the Feb. 8 briefing, he was told "there were fundamental leadership concerns in OPS."

Pardy said OPP Supt. Craig Abrams, who testified at the commission Thursday, told him that the Ottawa police already had dealt with a resignation due to "unrealistic expectations."

"He noted that on a few occasions during the Freedom Convoy, significant OPS officers walked away due to unbearable stress," says a summary of that Feb. 8 briefing.

Cardy said he was told by his superiors that while the OPS was asking for another 1,800 officers, it lacked an operational plan to deploy them.

Later that day, Pardy attended a planning meeting with Ottawa police and RCMP. Sloly was pulled away and unable to attend; Pardy said Ottawa police lawyer Christiane Huneault was there at Sloly's request. 

Pardy said there was talk during the meeting of establishing an integrated command structure but OPS felt it would be difficult to set up.

"During the meeting there was reference to [OPS] plans which were requested so that we could continue to build on/complement their plan; they agreed they would be shared but unfortunately were not," Pardy's notes from the meeting state.

"It was again stressed that we were there to help, that police agencies are going to contribute, however all agencies need a plan so they can articulate logistics and needs for the deployment."

Pardy said it was clear that OPS officers were under tremendous stress and were tired. He said Chief Sloly was under heavy pressure, both personal and professional.