Moe says he didn’t speak with Barber or Wall about convoy protests

Premier Scott Moe says he’s never spoken with nor has he ever offered freedom convoy organizer Chris Barber any advice.

The premier was asked about Barber during a news conference in Saskatoon on Tuesday, after a Monday report from CTV showed former Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall gave “strategic advice” to Barber before the protests. The information was contained in court documents related to charges Barber is now facing.

Moe said he’s never had any conversations with Barber or Wall about the convoy that made its way to Ottawa in late January and remained near Parliament Hill and the downtown core for three weeks. The premier noted, however, that it wouldn’t be unusual for Wall and Barber to speak to one another as they are a former MLA and a constituent, and reside in the same city.

“It wouldn’t be, you know, out of context to understand that they might know one another,” said Moe. “I won’t comment on who Mr. Wall talks to or doesn’t talk to.”

The federal government invoked the Emergencies Act in mid-February to give police additional powers as they clashed with protesters. The act had only been used once before in peacetime, when it was known as the War Measures Act and was invoked in response to terrorism during the October Crisis in 1970.

An inquiry into the use of the act is underway in Ottawa, and Moe said the provincial government requested and was given standing to testify at the inquiry.

“People have the right to protest. However, they don’t have the right to protest illegally, and when they are protesting illegally, we would expect that the relevant law enforcement agencies would ultimately remove those protests,” Moe said.

The premier maintained the Emergencies Act was not necessary to quell the protests on and around Parliament Hill.

“We don’t believe the criteria was met to enact that Emergency Act. We don’t believe that the law enforcement asked for it, either,” said Moe.

Questioned about the optics of a former Saskatchewan premier providing advice to Barber, Moe said Wall can speak with whoever he wants to.

“I won’t comment on the talks that Premier Wall had,” Moe said. “He’s a private citizen. He can speak with whoever he likes.”

Moe said Wall, his predecessor, was “an exemplary” premier.

Wall stands by advice

Reached for comment, Wall said his advice to Barber was not improper.

“I stand by the voluntary advice I gave when asked to do so,” the former premier said.

Wall said his advice to Barber included denouncing racism and leaving Ottawa long before Barber and the other protesters eventually did so.

“I stand by that advice today,” Wall said.