Military spied on Ottawa truckers’ protest while Trudeau Liberals suggested those claims ‘misinformation’

Special forces operated an aircraft that was equipped with surveillance equipment, despite a directive to prohibit such activity, the Ottawa Citizen reports.

The directive instructed Canadian Forces vehicles to not fly over the demonstration, but the report says that leaders ignored the directive since the plane being flown was owned by a private defense contractor.

"The amplifications provided by the RCAF through this directive did not apply to these training activities, which were contracted outside of the RCAF," National Defence spokesman Dan Le Bouthillier said to the Citizen.

The King Air aircraft flew over Ottawa on January 28, 29, February 3, 10, and 11, says Ottawa researcher Steffan Watkins.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau scorned Conservatives during Question Period last week after being asked about the surveillance flights, with the prime minister saying that Conservative MPs were "dangerously close to misinformation and disinformation."

"What the member opposite just engaged in is dangerously close to misinformation and disinformation designed to gin up fears and conspiracy theories," Trudeau said.

The line of questioning and Trudeau's response garnered some attention, for other reasons.

After the question, Trudeau allegedly used a profane word in the House, though microphones did not catch the f-bomb.

That lead to Trudeau responding to reporters in a way that referenced is father, saying "What is the nature of your thoughts, gentlemen, when you say you move your lips in a particular way."