Court hears of failed deal to move truckers during convoy protests

Ottawa's manager of emergency and protective services testified Wednesday that the city struggled to keep emergency lanes open as streets were congested by illegally parked vehicles during the weeks-long truck convoy protest in the city.

Kim Ayotte was back in court for the criminal trial of two leaders of what became the "Freedom Convoy." 

Tamara Lich and Chris Barber are charged with mischief, counselling others to commit mischief, intimidation and obstructing police for their role in the February 2022 protests against COVID-19 measures, as well as other grievances with the federal government. 

The Crown is trying to establish the two had "control and influence" over the crowds and encouraged others to join the protests while also fundraising. 

"This case is not about their political beliefs," prosecutor Tim Radcliffe said in his opening. "What is at issue here is the means they employed — not the end — the means to achieve their political purpose, and whether it was lawful or not."

Ayotte said plans to keep an emergency lane open on Wellington Street, which runs directly in front of Parliament Hill, failed and it was "lost" after the first night of protesting due to trucks being chained together to stop them from being moved.

He told court that despite losing the lane on Wellington, "several" of the emergency routes in residential neighbourhoods were maintained throughout the protest.

Ayotte was one of the city officials involved in brokering a deal with convoy organizers to have protesters move trucks out of residential areas and onto Wellington. 

He exchanged a series of text messages with Barber about moving trucks off residential streets.

On Feb. 13, former Ottawa mayor Jim Watson announced the details of a proposed deal with some protest organizers that would see 400 vehicles removed from residential areas.

Wellington Street was already home to dozens of large trucks, other vehicles and tents set up by protesters at that time. 

But the plan to move the trucks ultimately didn't come to fruition.

Ayotte testified Wednesday that the city had limited information on police operations at the time.

At the Public Order Emergency Commission (POEC) held in October and November to examine the federal government's decision to invoke the Emergencies Act that ultimately ended the protests, more information about the proposed deal came to light.