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From convoys to gun control: CTV's public safety analyst looks back at some of the top issues of 2022
December 30, 2022
Police attempt to hand out notices on the 21st day of the

2022 was an interesting year in Canada, on a number of fronts, but for me, protests, senseless deaths, inquiries and legislative controversy dominated my world as CTV News’s Public Safety Analyst.

Here is a look back at some of the stories that stand out, listed chronologically:

1. The anti-government Freedom Convoy protests, which seriously disrupted some Canada-U.S. border crossings and a few major cities – most predominantly Ottawa, started 2022 off with serious challenges for law enforcement and all levels of government, and considerable public debate. Poor analysis of police intelligence and the lack of a solid strategy and pre-positioned resources to prevent the largest of the protests from taking root in the nation’s capital, led to weeks of playing catch-up. After the blockades in Windsor Ontario and Coutts, Alberta were dismantled by police, officers came to Ottawa in droves and eventually ended that mess as well. The Liberal federal government invoked the never before used “Emergencies Act” during the days between the police action in Windsor and Coutts and the Ottawa operation, claiming the legislation was requested by police, leading many to believe that act saved the day. The reality of that connection remains unclear.

2. The ongoing Nova Scotia Mass Casualty Commission into the horrendous 2020 mass murder there uncovered a number of failings on the part of the RCMP in terms of their operational response to the shooting as well as media, public and inter-agency notification processes. Quite significant details also emerged as evidence showed the RCMP Commissioner had directed investigators to publicly release specific details as to the makes and calibres of the firearms used by the killer against the wishes of the Nova Scotia RCMP leadership. This raised allegations and some denials regarding the federal government pressuring Commissioner Brenda Lucki to push for public disclosure of the firearm particulars in an effort to further their legislative agenda. We may never know the complete details with this situation, but it did not paint a good picture of the RCMP commissioner or her government masters in my view.

3. The subsequent legally-mandated hearing into the enactment of the Emergencies Act during the Freedom Convoy highlighted a number of lessons-learned from policing and local government perspectives, as well as critical disconnects between and within police and government agencies. It also became clear that although police leaders agreed it helped, they had never requested the legislation, claiming they finally had a robust plan formulated as well as sufficient resources to implement it, and still had a number of existing authorities and enforcement options available to them. Once again, apparent communications failings between the RCMP commissioner and the Liberal government loomed large, but in this case the Prime Minster and other key advisors and ministerial staff essentially threw Commissioner Lucki under the bus in their evidence. Following weeks of testimony and submissions, Justice Paul Rouleau is currently preparing his findings into the matter.

4. A September stabbing attack on the James Smith Cree Nation in Saskatchewan resulted in 12 dead, including the two brothers responsible for the slayings. A number of community members were also injured. It required a significant response and then man-hunt for the killers, involving the RCMP and a number of municipal police services. Police communications and notification protocols worked very well throughout the massive operation and agencies seemed to effectively work shoulder-to-shoulder.

5. Four Canadian police officers were murdered in incidents occurring within weeks in the fall of 2022. The victims included a Toronto Police Constable; two South Simcoe Police constables; and a RCMP constable in Burnaby, BC. A fifth constable from the York Regional Police was killed by an impaired driver while commuting to work, during that same tragic period. It was a very difficult and emotional time for Canadian police officers, undoubtedly resulting in some questioning their career choice, families of officers growing increasingly concerned about the safety of their loved ones and many communities growing more vocally appreciative of their police officers. I remain confident that although public criticism of police seemed to be growing over the past few years, communities still largely value and trust their police. Our officers will resiliently move forward and continue to do what they do so well – bravely protect the public.

6. The latest amendments to Canada’s Bill C-21, the legislation originally focused on banning legal handgun sales in Canada, will make a number of rifles and shotguns that were previously legal within the parameters of our gun legislation, illegal. Hunters and sports-shooting advocates are understandably very concerned about the changes, given that statistically these guns are not a threat to public safety. Assault rifles and large-capacity magazines are already illegal, so it’s an ill-conceived stretch in my opinion to claim this expensive proposed ban of long-arms is a realistic approach to saving lives, any more than it would be to ban knives or cars. Additionally, the proposition of banning legal handgun purchases and sales makes no sense either, given our already robust handgun laws. None of this legislation will impact the real threat – smuggled handguns from the U.S.

7. Just prior to Christmas, a condo-owner north of Toronto shot and killed five residents of his building, in what may be the result of his long-simmering bad feelings towards the condo board there. Responding police took the gunman’s life on their arrival. There are many unanswered questions at this point as police and the SIU conduct their investigations, including the motive; the mental health issues involved; the origin and legality of the firearm used; and what in hindsight might have been done to prevent this tragedy from occurring.


And last but far from least, I no sooner submitted this article when I learned of the murder of OPP Constable Grzegorz Pierzchala in Haldimand County. A young, promising police life taken and it breaks my heart. More to come on that tragic story.


Wishing all a wonderful and safe holiday season and prosperous 2023. Please thank an emergency responder when you can and pray for their safety every day of the year ahead.

Chris Lewis served as Commissioner of the Ontario Provincial Police from 2010 until he retired in 2014. He can be seen regularly on CTV and CP24 giving his opinion as a public safety analyst.

The worst boss: Nightmare for some, reality for many

By Chris Lewis • June 21, 2025
Image: new-manager-training.com Imagine this scenario if you will, getting the worst boss on earth – a person who is the total antithesis of leadership. Your new “Boss” replaces a leader that wasn’t always right and was getting too old to meet the mental and physical demands of the job, but at the same time treated all those around him with respect. He tried to select people for key positions based on their experience base and his confidence that they may not always agree but the individuals picked would be honest with him, other employees and the client base. He undoubtedly made mistakes here and there and did have some flaws but would readily admit to most of them. This boss comes back to the organization having committed a list of publicly confirmed misdeeds and illegal acts – many of which would have singularly been a good reason to not hire even the lowest level of employee, and justification for imprisonment for others. However, he was chosen for the top job despite all that baggage. Conversely, he brings not one redeeming quality to the top position. From day one, it’s obvious that the new Boss is truly a “boss” and not a “leader.” He has old personal scores to settle and wreaks revenge on many employees that he doesn’t like. Not because they were dishonest, incapable or lazy, but because he perceives that they didn’t want him to return or didn’t always agree with his philosophies and rash actions during past affiliations. This activity causes panic among all employees who know they have no choice but to get aboard his out-of-control train or perish beneath it. Then – without any deep evaluation or thought, he makes tremendous cuts to many organizational programs – leaving thousands without work and lacking any strategy to provide much needed services to a vast array of client groups. He viciously cuts through the organization like a chainsaw through softwood. Why? Because he can. Some of these decisions may have had some degree of validity following a proper assessment, while others not, but that analysis never occurred. Most previous positive relationships with partner agencies and the majority of client groups are immediately scuttled by the new boss. He publicly demeans and taunts longtime allies with irrational statements and outright falsehoods. Never in the many decades of history of the organization has such broad-ranging international indignation been felt, largely as a result of his childish behavior. Very few productive relationships remain and although some new ones are developed, they are only with organizations that are poorly considered by clients and upstanding industry players. His decisions continually fly in the face of the needs of the immense client group but more align with the personal business interests of only the Boss and his business associates – some of whom are either known despots or of questionable character. Company stocks continue to plummet as a result of his silliness. That also has a significant negative impact on the fiscal picture of partner organizations around the world. Anyone that respectfully expresses disagreement or suggests alternative decisions to the Boss, are sidelined or fired, then are ridiculed and until they become unemployable. Gas-lighting, exaggerations, denials, the passing of blame and blatant lies are his norm. He seldom speaks the truth about anyone or any situation. The sycophants he has positioned to assist in his destruction of the organization, publicly praise him for his leadership and courageous decision-making, when the majority of employees and clients know it is just flagrant butt-kissing on their part. He constantly seeks and demands praise, even for things he didn’t do, then sulks and whines when he doesn’t receive it. He falsely takes credit for the few good things that do happen but quickly passes blame when things that have his fingerprints all over them, go horribly wrong. His God-complex is resounding and worsens with each passing day. His public claims of success – before and since becoming the Boss, and assertions of being the “Greatest Boss in history”, fall flat with anyone that truly knows him. He aggressively takes advantage of anyone he can but then turns on them at the flip of a switch. No one is beyond being found at the pointy end of his meanness stick. When caught making an error, he’ll blame everyone on his “team” before accepting any criticism. In fact, he’d turn on his own children if he felt it would make him look brave or heroic, or if it would prevent him from public humiliation. He states his 24/7 lies over and over so often to make his base of lemming followers believe him, that he seemingly believes them to be factual himself. Even when he is confronted with witness testimony or audio/video of his brazen lies, he blames others for being out to get him. Being accountable when things go wrong and letting the light shine on others when they go well, is beyond his comprehension. (Can you spell “narcissistic”?) Although he doesn’t understand the business, he refuses to surround himself with people that do, given that he thinks he knows more than any of them and possibly more than anybody, anywhere, ever, since the dawn of time. Public statements he makes are often completely ridiculous and childish, causing all those around him to force plastic smiles, offer him undeserved praise and nod like pre-programmed bobbleheads. People and even affiliated organizations live in such fear of his thirst for retribution that they either cow-tow to his insanity or prepare for annihilation. He is an embarrassment internally and externally, on an international scale. No past executive has even been so blatantly self-centered, mean spirited and/or inept, nor have they ever had such a negative impact on the organization and its people. It may take decades to repair all the damage he has done. Thankfully, his employment contract is only for four years, so there may be some light at the end of the tunnel. Most of those within and those reliant on the organization, as well as friends, associates, allies internationally pray that this nightmare will end at that time. If it’s not too late, that is. Just a bad dream for some or a reality for millions of us?

What did the PM’s most recent announcement on border security really mean?

By Chris Lewis • February 4, 2025
Is there any meat to this or is it more of the same?

What police don’t need during a crisis

By Chris Lewis • January 4, 2025
Police know how to conduct major investigations and find bad guys. Although several specific factors change from case to case, their general investigative playbook remains the same. Once some ungodly multi-victim attack occurs, in very simplistic terms: the scene is protected, and the health of the living victims is looked after. Forensic experts begin processing the crime scene. Witnesses are located and interviewed. Physical evidence is gathered. Area and witness video recordings are collected and analyzed. Victims are identified. An off-site reunification centre is established where there are multiple victims. Next of kin notifications begin. At any point – if a suspect or suspects become known, their background is gathered, and the hunt begins. They need to be apprehended before anyone else is hurt. Area law enforcement officers need to know suspect details ASAP. “Motive” is at top of mind as investigators are synthesizing all this information, whether the suspect is identified or not. Of course, establishing motive often leads to identifying the suspect, but at other times identifying the suspect helps fill in the blanks on motive. What was the initial basis of what became a murder? Was it a robbery? Could it have been a street fight gone bad? Was it simply a want or need to kill someone specific or maybe anyone at all? That’s for investigators to sort out. There is an onus to warn the public or at least tell them something, i.e. “ongoing threat”, “stay indoors”, or “no threat to public safety”. There are reporting protocols to follow. Senior officers need to be advised up the food chain as do their political masters, so everyone knows what is happening. None of that should detract investigators from doing what they do best – catching killers. But that’s when the ravenous “thirst for knowledge” and political grandstanding often take over and completely interfere with police work. The only knowledge the investigators are thirsty for in those early hours is evidence and then identifying, locating and capturing bad people. They do not need politics monopolizing their time or efforts. The New Years Day massacre in New Orleans was big. Fourteen innocent party goers were killed and dozens injured. The world wanted to know what happened and the community wanted to know if they were in danger. I absolutely get that. However, what sometimes comes with such tragedies is everyone wanting to know everything. We see it in most mass murder cases, but this was an exceptional example of the insanity surrounding such a high-profile incident. Whatever blanks weren’t immediately filled in by police officials and verified mainstream media reports, were filled in by social media. In such cases police totally lose control of the narrative as rumours, theories, falsities, conspiracy theories and “hey look at me” games take over. The political party and individual positioning in this case was nauseating. In any multi-agency response, having the leaders of those agencies at press conferences in a united front makes sense. The public needs to have confidence that the situation is in the best of hands. But where did these massive press conferences where police officials are flanked by numerous politicians come from? I can see some elected leaders being present when a new program is launched or government funding is being announced, but it should never be in the early hours of a mass murder. Having a bunch of partisan wonks peacocking on stage and in follow-up interviews, helps no one at the operational level. As some of them were speaking, I was responding to their dumb questions in my mind: Was it a terror attack? Maybe, but let the experts figure that out. In the meantime, it’s a mass murder. Was the killer an illegal immigrant? Let’s worry about that when the dust settles. What political party is to blame for allowing him into the country? We don’t care. Maybe he was born here. Let’s sort that out if he turns out to be an illegal immigrant. Why wasn’t the area more secure? Good question for a future debrief. We need to get the FBI and HSI leaders before a government committee right away so we can find out who failed! Shut up. We have police work to do. There are always enough social media theories, private citizens’ investigations into suspects, outright lies and misinformation being spread to the public, without silly partisan games sidetracking investigators who are fighting to stay ahead of legitimate theories and tips. In the early hours of a mass murder case investigators are probably the busiest they have ever been, and don’t need any of this interference. Controlling the social media fever is next to impossible. It would take a sudden level of maturity across the populace that may be unattainable. But politicians at all levels need to get the message that they are not welcome on stage at operational press conferences and their comments to the media – if asked for them – aside from expressing sadness, thoughts, prayers and confidence in the police, should be “Our law enforcement agencies are investigating, and we need to let them do what they do.” Adding any theories, raising questions or passing blame is totally wrong. If elected officials truly care about their electorate and feel the need to say more, they should have some prior dialogue with the police leaders or their Public Information Officers to ensure that what they say is helpful as opposed to harmful. Otherwise, be quiet.