Primary Country (Mandatory)

United States

Other Country (Optional)

Set News Language for United States

Primary Language (Mandatory)
English
Other Language[s] (Optional)
No other language available

Set News Language for World

Primary Language (Mandatory)
English
Other Language(s) (Optional)

Set News Source for United States

Primary Source (Mandatory)
CNN
Other Source[s] (Optional)

Set News Source for World

Primary Source (Mandatory)
AajTak
Other Source(s) (Optional)
  • Countries
    • India
    • United States
    • Qatar
    • Germany
    • China
    • Canada
    • World
  • Categories
    • National
    • International
    • Business
    • Entertainment
    • Sports
    • Special
    • All Categories
  • Available Languages for United States
    • English
  • All Languages
    • English
    • Hindi
    • Arabic
    • German
    • Chinese
    • French
  • Sources
    • India
      • AajTak
      • NDTV India
      • The Hindu
      • India Today
      • Zee News
      • NDTV
      • BBC
      • The Wire
      • News18
      • News 24
      • The Quint
      • ABP News
      • Zee News
      • News 24
    • United States
      • CNN
      • Fox News
      • Al Jazeera
      • CBSN
      • NY Post
      • Voice of America
      • The New York Times
      • HuffPost
      • ABC News
      • Newsy
    • Qatar
      • Al Jazeera
      • Al Arab
      • The Peninsula
      • Gulf Times
      • Al Sharq
      • Qatar Tribune
      • Al Raya
      • Lusail
    • Germany
      • DW
      • ZDF
      • ProSieben
      • RTL
      • n-tv
      • Die Welt
      • Süddeutsche Zeitung
      • Frankfurter Rundschau
    • China
      • China Daily
      • BBC
      • The New York Times
      • Voice of America
      • Beijing Daily
      • The Epoch Times
      • Ta Kung Pao
      • Xinmin Evening News
    • Canada
      • CBC
      • Radio-Canada
      • CTV
      • TVA Nouvelles
      • Le Journal de Montréal
      • Global News
      • BNN Bloomberg
      • Métro
MoreBack to News Headlines
How a plan to end the convoy protest came together — and why it failed

How a plan to end the convoy protest came together — and why it failed

CBC
Tuesday, October 18, 2022 12:37 AM GMT

Ottawa city manager Steve Kanellakos revealed new details Monday about a last-ditch agreement between police, protesters and politicians to move trucks out of residential areas and onto Wellington Street during last winter's convoy protest in the capital — a deal that would ultimately fall apart just days before the federal government gave police special powers to end the occupation.

Kanellakos was testifying on the third day of the Public Order Emergency Commission, which was triggered when the Emergencies Act was invoked on Feb. 14.

Six days earlier, on the morning of Tuesday, Feb. 8, Kanellakos was making his way to his office in the heritage wing of Ottawa city hall when his phone rang. It was Steve Bell, deputy chief of the Ottawa Police Service (OPS).

Despite earlier assurances from police that the protesters would likely leave the city after the first weekend of demonstrations, many had remained through a second tense weekend and were showing no signs of leaving.

Two days earlier, Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson had declared a state of emergency, and the previous week then police chief Peter Sloly had declared he was becoming increasingly concerned there was "no policing solution" to the impasse.

Kanellakos was by that time convinced Ottawa police alone couldn't end the occupation, but negotiations with upper levels of government were proving fruitless and frustrating. Towing companies with the kind of equipment needed to haul away tractor-trailers refused to get involved, either out of fear for their employees' safety or sympathy with the protesters.

Bell, who would soon take over as interim chief after Sloly's resignation, was looking for a different kind of solution, but he needed Kanellakos's help.

The plan was to hammer out an agreement with protest leaders to move the vehicles clogging residential areas of Ottawa's downtown onto Parliament Hill, giving downtown residents some much-needed respite from the noise and disruption, and giving police a more manageable geographic area to work within.

Bell explained that talks between police and protesters had broken down, but protest leaders had asked for a meeting with someone at city hall.

"I was reluctant when he first told me. We never had any intention ... of meeting with the protest leaders. That wasn't on our radar or anything we were planning to do," Kanellakos testified.

"I wasn't convinced that I should meet with them because I felt that that was opening up another door in terms of a signal that we're prepared to start negotiating."

Kanellakos consulted with Watson, who he said was also reluctant because he suspected the protesters of trying to use talks with the city as a ploy to draw the federal government to the negotiating table.

"He didn't tell me not to meet them, and he didn't tell me to meet them," Kanellakos recalled. "He just thought it was a bad idea."

Despite his own reservations, Kanellakos offered to handle the meeting without getting the mayor involved.

Read full story on CBC
Share this story on:-
Run 3 Space | Play Space Running GamePlay Run 3, the ultimate space tunnel running game with 300+ challenging levels!Adv.
Traffic Jam 3D | Online Racing GameTraffic Jam 3D is a game where you’ll be driving through heavy traffic.Adv.
Duck Hunt | Play Old Classic GamePlay the classic 1984 light gun shooter game Duck Hunt on your browser.Adv.
More Related News
Protester gets on Ford Fest stage in Etobicoke at annual Ontario PC event

A protester made it onto the stage at a Ford Fest event in Etobicoke organized by the Ontario Progressive Conservative Party on Friday.

New patient targets for family doctors could hurt P.E.I.'s reputation, says national college

The College of Family Physicians of Canada is raising concerns over new targets for family doctors on P.E.I. and calling on all parties to work together to find a solution.

Hanlan's Beach is getting a bubble zone to keep away motorized boats and vehicles

Toronto police's marine unit will create a bubble zone around Hanlan's Beach as a pilot project this summer to improve safety for swimmers, kayakers and paddleboarders.

Fort Good Hope N.W.T man sentenced to 7 years in prison for manslaughter

An N.W.T judge has sentenced a man from Fort Good Hope to seven years in prison for killing another man from the community last year.

Most Albertans will have to pay for COVID-19 shots starting this fall, province says

Alberta's government says residents who are not immunocompromised or on social programs will soon have to pay to get the COVID-19 vaccine.

Man shot by police in Markham condo unit has died: SIU

A man shot by a police officer in a condo in Markham earlier this week has died, the Special Investigations Unit says.

P.E.I. coroner's office investigating 55-year-old man's death in Charlottetown park

Prince Edward Island's coroner's office is investigating a recent death at Joseph A. Ghiz Memorial Park in Charlottetown. 

Yukon RCMP report fatal car crash south of Whitehorse

The RCMP is responding to a fatal collision south of Whitehorse that left one dead and another injured. 

Canada calling for de-escalation between Israel and Iran, says foreign affairs minister

Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand says Canada is calling for de-escalation after Israel targeted Iran's nuclear sites and killed Iranian military leaders with a barrage of airstrikes early Friday.

RCMP ask for help identifying 2 men connected to indecent acts on P.E.I.'s North Shore

Police in Prince Edward Island are asking for the public's help identifying two men involved in separate incidents of indecent acts that were reported in Queens County.

His dad's old age pension suddenly stopped coming, leaving couple at 'desperation time'

A London couple say they've been hit with a steep and unexpected monthly expense, after the federal government stopped an elder family member's old age security payments without explanation — payments which went toward expensive nursing home costs.

On the road to the G7 in Kananaskis, a popular wilderness retreat locks down

"Please, allow me to show you my bus that I drive for G7," says the driver.

Happy City hoping to inspire candidates ahead of N.L. election season

Newfoundland and Labrador is about four months out from what will likely become election season in the province — and a St. John's non-profit group thinks there will likely be some big changes at the local level. 

Parking Slot | Free Parking GamePlay Parking Slot, the best online 3D car driving and parking game.Adv.
Slope Ball Run - Play OnlineSlope Game takes you on an exciting journey of a ball on special paths.Adv.
As some restaurants ditch seed oils for beef tallow, UPEI prof warns it's no health upgrade

At Pedro's Island Eatery in North Rustico, owner Pedro Gameiro has long been not a fan of using seed oils for frying

Yukon First Nations graduation turns 50

The parking lot of the Kwanlin Dün Cultural Centre in Whitehorse was full on Friday, and the building surrounded by well-dressed young people and their proud families. Despite the smoky conditions in the city, there was much to celebrate. 

Toronto should allow sixplexes to bring 'gentle density' to city, council committee says

Toronto has moved one step closer to allowing fiveplexes and sixplexes in neighbourhoods across the city.

Why removing a dead deer from the Thames River wasn't a situation of passing the buck

Warning: Some readers may find photos in this story distressing.

Can the G7 leaders still find anything to agree about?

Fifty years ago this fall the leaders of France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States met in a castle outside Paris for three days of meetings, at the conclusion of which they issued the Declaration of Rambouillet, a 15-point statement of principles and commitments.

'It's escalating every minute': Iranian woman living in N.L. watches conflict with worry

An Iranian woman living in Newfoundland and Labrador says she's watching attacks between Israel and Iran with worry for her family back home.

Dramatic video captures school bus explosion in Hammonds Plains

Chase Valiant was in the middle of making an afternoon snack when his day took a dramatic turn.

Province paid Dr. John Dornan nearly $1.8M in settlement over firing as Horizon CEO

The provincial government ended up reaching a $1.8-million settlement with now-Health Minister Dr. John Dornan over his firing as the head of Horizon Health Network following the death of a Fredericton ER patient.

Montreal commuter seeks class action against public transit agency over labour strike

An authorization request to launch a class-action lawsuit against Montreal's public transit agency was filed in Quebec Superior Court Friday.

Thompson says finding hotel rooms for evacuees 'difficult' as Manitoba mulls invoking emergency powers

The City of Thompson says moving wildfire evacuees from its congregate shelter to hotel lodgings should be "a top priority," but that finding accommodations is hard this time of the year.

Family rushes to India to formally identify Regina father killed in Air India crash

The family of a Saskatchewan man says he died in the crash of an Air India plane bound for London on Thursday.

Airbnb says thousands of B.C. reservations at risk, blames 'rushed' rental rules

Short-term vacation rental platform Airbnb said Friday that "thousands" of reservations in British Columbia are at risk of cancellation, accusing the province of rushing out regulations as it cracked down on the industry.

© 2008 - 2025 Webjosh  |  News Archive  |  Privacy Policy  |  Contact Us