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.

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The call, which came the day after former Ottawa police chief Peter Sloly announced his resignation, begins with Watson asking Deans for an update on the plan to replace Sloly and restore "stability to the organization" after nearly three weeks of disruption to the city's downtown.

I hope that you don't rush into this, because I think it would be a mistake at this point.- Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson

"So basically, I'm going to sign a contract with a new chief today and I believe he will start on Monday," Deans told him.

"Who is this and how did you find him or her?" a stunned-sounding Watson asks.

Dean explains the new hire was Matt Torigian, former chief of the Waterloo Regional Police Service, whose name was among a short list of potential candidates suggested by the solicitor general's office.

"He's going to bring a team with him, basically of some former chiefs with a lot of depth of knowledge, that are going to come in to assist him in getting this thing to an end," Deans said, describing it as a "semi-permanent" contract of three to 10 months.

"This is obviously a surprise," Watson told her.

'So it's a done deal'

The two discuss what this will mean for deputy chief Steve Bell, who had just been named interim chief.

"The way I see it is this is probably going to save Steve's opportunity to be the next chief, because you know the [poisonous] environment that we have right now. Anybody we put in there is not going to last very long, and Steve's going to get blamed for this," Deans said, referring to the occupation.

"My understanding was that we were going to get through this with Steve. So it's a done deal basically," Watson replied. 

Deans told him the Ottawa Police Services Board had approved Torigian's hire the day before, but the contract hadn't been signed.

"I mean if you want to tell me that you don't think you want me to sign that contract, I mean I can go back to the board and tell them that you would rather not, but I actually believe that this is the right thing to do, Jim."

Watson expressed his concern that the new hire, which he described during testimony earlier this week as "three chiefs in three days," would be "very destabilizing," particularly since it was coming just before what was expected to be a move by police to disperse the protesters.

"I don't support this. I think this is the wrong approach at the wrong time," said Watson, describing the idea as a "sideshow" that could potentially jeopardize any plan to end the occupation. Watson told Deans he was also concerned about a lack of transparency or consultation, particularly with the city's BIPOC community.

'Internal angst' within Ottawa police

Deans argued that bringing in an experienced and respected lawman could bring stability to the Ottawa Police Service.

"There's internal angst in the top ranks right now," she said.

As mayor, Watson cannot legally direct the police board in its decision-making, but Deans again offered to defer to his authority.

"If you're telling me not to do it, then I'll not do it," she said.

"I hope that you don't rush into this, because I think it would be a mistake at this point, and I think it would undermine Steve Bell," Watson answered.

As Watson testified earlier this week, the contract was nevertheless signed later that day, but Torigian soon withdrew his name and Bell continued as interim chief.

Plot to oust Deans as chair

Deans also asked Watson whether there was a behind-the-scenes plot among her council colleagues to oust her as chair of the board.

"I've worked really hard for the last 20 days, I think it would be a courtesy to at least let me know what's coming at me," she told him.

"I haven't seen any motion," Watson said, telling her he hadn't decided whether he would support a vote of non-confidence.

Deans was removed as chair of the police board in a city council vote later that day.

Asked during cross-examination whether she had any ethical qualms about asking her assistant to record the call without Watson's knowledge, Deans testified she did not.

"I just wanted to make sure we had an accurate reflection of that meeting," she said, noting Watson had failed to disclose to her that city manager Steve Kanellakos was also on the call.

"I don't think it was calculated," Deans said of the recording. "This was a very tense moment."

Asked after testifying whether she felt the rift between her and the mayor contributed to any delay in the police action that ended the occupation, Deans said she wasn't certain.

"What was the consequence? I mean, the mayor and council destabilized the board in the middle of a crisis. I don't think that was useful," Deans told reporters.

"I think when the going got tough, the police board and to a certain extent the police chief were convenient scapegoats."