Until now, it was documents that suggested the Prime Minister or someone in his office was behind the crackdown on protesters at last year's APEC summit. On Wednesday an eyewitness came forward, saying she saw Jean Chretien calling the security shots.

Jean Chretien was confronted with this new allegation during Question Period. He didn't directly respond to these new charges.

Last November, dozens of demonstrators were arrested, manhandled and pepper-sprayed by police. Recent RCMP documents identify the prime minister and his office as being involved in the security arrangements.

The reason, according to the documents, was to ensure that then-Indonesian President Suharto would not be embarrassed by the protests. RCMP say there were additional concerns due to guns being carried by Suharto's own security guards.

A British Columbia aboriginal chief at last fall's Asia-Pacific summit saw Jean Chretien giving orders to security and other officials.

Gail Sparrow said she couldn't hear the conversation but she saw the prime minister talking to RCMP and being briefed. He was, she said, "actively involved in everything that was taking place."

Sparrow said that Chretien's staff told her the Prime Minister was discussing security.

RCMP officer's notes from that day refer to instructions from "PM."

An aide to Chretien dismissed the account as "bizarre," saying Sparrow has admitted she didn't hear any actual discussion. Peter Donolo said Chretien was not giving orders to security personnel.

Sparrow was due to speak at the APEC conference, but she was dropped from the lineup at the last minute. She says it was because her speech mentioned human rights. Organizers say it was because her speech was too long.