Minister of Public Security Marco Mendicino He said he was concerned that the RCMP chose not to release the badge numbers of the police officers who cleared the “Freedom Convoy” protesters from the Ambassador Bridge last winter.
The RCMP denied requests for access to information on officers’ names and badge numbers on the grounds that releasing the information could jeopardize the officers’ safety.
The Canadian Press obtained a briefing note on the matter from Commissioner Brenda Rookie. This included intelligence reports indicating that senior cavalrymen feared that their officers could be exposed by supporters of the fleet if identified.
“I am very concerned about the report.” Mendicino said in a recent interview during a visit to Saskatchewan.
“Obviously the badge and name are there for transparency, which needs further explanation.”
Mendicino He then points to a law introduced last spring that provides stronger civilian oversight of the RCMP, he said.
Protesters have blocked the Ambassador Bridge between Windsor, Ontario, which connects Canada and the United States. In February he will be in Detroit, Michigan for six days.
On February 13, a day before the federal government invoked the state of emergency law, police moved to clear them up, filing more than 40 charges.
In a memo to Lucki dated last April, the RCMP emphasized that the situation “presented an exceptional case” involving clear and credible threats.
The decision to deny requests for executive information does not reflect a change in policy under the Access Act, it said.
The memo also said police were aware that withholding such information could call transparency into question and urged Lucki to seek final approval of the decision.
Stephanie Taylor
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