Former Ottawa police chief Sloly to break silence on 'Freedom Convoy'
The public will hear from Ottawa's former police chief next week for the first time since he resigned at the height of the 'Freedom Convoy' occupation of downtown Ottawa.
Peter Sloly is scheduled to appear as a witness at a parliamentary committee on Thursday.
The committee is looking into expanding federal jurisdiction of security in the parliamentary precinct to include sections of Wellington Street and Sparks Street. Wellington Street in front of Parliament Hill has been closed since the protest.
Along with Sloly, Sen. Vern White, another former Ottawa police chief, is listed as a witness.
Sloly resigned on Feb. 15 amid heavy criticism of his handling of the protests that took over downtown Ottawa. At the time of his resignation, the protest was entering its third week and the federal government had invoked the Emergencies Act the previous day.
The following weekend, police moved in to break up the protest.
Sloly was Ottawa’s first Black police chief and faced pushback in some of his efforts to make the service more progressive, such as when he acknowledged the existence of systemic racism in policing in an op-ed in September 2020.
Sloly said in a statement at the time he was stepping down "with a heavy heart."
"Since the onset of this demonstration, I have done everything possible to keep this city safe and put an end to this unprecedented and unforseeable crisis," he said.
His departure prompted upheaval on the city's police services board.
Chair Diane Deans was ousted when she tried to bring in a new police chief after Sloly’s departure, and other members resigned amid that turmoil. The province’s three appointees all resigned after it came to light that one of them attended the convoy protest.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Wildfire that forced evacuation of Fort Nelson, B.C., caused by tree falling on wires, mayor says
The wildfire that prompted the evacuation of more than 3,000 people near Fort Nelson, B.C., was caused by a tree falling on wires, according to the municipality's mayor.
Couple randomly attacked, 1 stabbed, by group of teens in Toronto, police say
A man has been transported to hospital after police say he was stabbed in a random attack carried out by a group of teens in Toronto on Friday night.
Eurovision Song Contest final kicks off after protests, backstage chaos and a contestant's expulsion
The 68th Eurovision Song Contest finally got down to musical business Saturday in the Swedish city of Malmo after days of protests and offstage drama that have tipped the feelgood musical celebration into a chaotic pressure cooker overshadowed by the war in Gaza.
IN PICTURES Northern lights dance across the night sky in southern Ont.
From London, to Grand Bend, Collingwood and Guelph, here are some highlights of Friday night and Saturday morning's northern lights display.
Ron Ellis, who played over 1,000 games with Maple Leafs, dead at 79
Ron Ellis, who played over 1,000 games with the Toronto Maple Leafs and was a member of Canada's team at the 1972 Summit Series, has died at age 79.
'I am angry': Alberta farmers will continue fight over world class motorsport resort
The rolling hills leading to the hamlet of Rosebud are dotted with sprawling farms and cattle pastures -- and a sign sporting a simple message: No Race Track.
Man arrested after allegedly caught trespassing at Drake's Bridle Path mansion
Toronto police say a man has been taken into custody after he was allegedly caught trespassing at Drake's mansion in Bridle Path Saturday afternoon.
opinion How to use your credit card as a powerful wealth-building tool
Irresponsibly using a credit card can land you in financial trouble, but personal finance columnist Christopher Liew says when used properly, it can be a powerful wealth-building tool that can help grow your credit profile and create new opportunities.
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.