Emergency Preparedness Minister Bill Blair has made it clear that it’s not the job of government to direct Ottawa police regarding the occupation in that city’s downtown.

“It is not the role of any government to direct law enforcement operations, it is the responsibility of the place of jurisdiction and in this case, the Ottawa police service to maintain public order and to uphold the rule of law,” said Blair. “They must have the appropriate resources, and they do the appropriate tools and authority they require to keep their communities safe,” he continued.

But Blair has announced he wants a special task force between province, city of Ottawa and the federal government.

“The federal government is proposing to convene a trilateral table with municipal and provincial partners, I’ve reached out today to the solicitor general for the province of Ontario and to the Mayor of Ottawa to convene a table that will allow us to keep lines of communication open during what is a fluid and dynamic situation and to respond to meet the city’s needs.”