By Canadian Press

OPP head defends comments that ‘Freedom Convoy’ was national security threat

Oct 27, 2022 | 12:08 PM

OTTAWA — The head of the Ontario Provincial Police is defending comments he made about the “Freedom Convoy” posing a threat to Canada’s national security.

Thomas Carrique told members of Parliament in March that his intelligence unit identified protests in Ottawa as a “threat to national security” about a week after heavy trucks arrived in the capital city.

But the head of intelligence for the force contradicted that this week in testimony before the public inquiry looking into the federal government’s use of the Emergencies Act, saying there was never any credible information showing a direct threat to national security.

Carrique says he agrees there were no credible national security threats, but says the word “threat” was used to indicate something could potentially happen, and the situation called for further analysis.

He also stood by his head of intelligence, Supt. Pat Morris, saying he is the foremost expert on the subject in Ontario.

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Canada’s spy agency CSIS raised concerns over the OPP suggesting there was a national security threat, but Carrique says any police leader ought to look at potential threats extremely seriously.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 27, 2022.

The Canadian Press