Secret recording reveals deep rift over plan to hire new Ottawa police chief during convoy crisis

A secretly recorded conversation between Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson and Coun. Diane Deans about an aborted plan to hire a new police chief at the height of last winter's convoy protest was played Wednesday at the public inquiry examining the federal government's decision to invoke the Emergencies Act to help end the crisis.

The Feb. 16 recording, which was only brought forward to the commission Wednesday morning, was entered into evidence at the Public Order Emergency Commission Wednesday afternoon. The tense call was recorded by Deans's assistant without Watson's knowledge, she later testified.

Source: Day 5 of Public Hearings, October 19, 2022 Public Inquiry for the Invocation of the Emergencies Act