Close X
Thursday, November 14, 2024
ADVT 
National

MPs told of confusion from crackdown on convoy

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 17 Mar, 2022 03:27 PM
  • MPs told of confusion from crackdown on convoy

OTTAWA - The voice of Canadian credit unions says their members watched people make significant withdrawals after the federal government vowed a financial crackdown on the so-called "freedom convoy."

The government's use of the emergency powers in February included allowing financial institutions to freeze the accounts of those involved in the protests that occupied streets in downtown Ottawa and blocked key border crossings.

But a House of Commons committee was told Thursday that the government was less than clear about the intended targets shortly after the financial measures were announced.

The government also granted a level of latitude to institutions that contributed to the confusion, MPs have been told.

Martha Durdin, president and CEO of the Canadian Credit Union Association, said the combined effect was a degree of panic among Canadians that their accounts could be frozen because they made small donations to the convoy.

She said that led to Canadians withdrawing large amounts from their credit union accounts, sometimes in the hundreds of thousands and, on a few occasions, millions of dollars.

Credit unions ultimately froze 10 accounts with a total value of less than half a million dollars, Durdin said, adding that many credit unions would have appreciated further guidance about precisely which accounts would be frozen.

Durdin, among others testifying today to the committee, said the situation points to a need for federal officials to communicate more clearly about emergency powers, and consult a wider array of financial institutions beyond the country's biggest banks.

"Credit unions had to really answer a lot of questions from members about under what circumstances the government can freeze accounts because many Canadians felt surprised that the government had that authority," Durdin said.

The testimony came as part of hearings the Commons finance committee is holding about the government use of never-before-used emergency powers to put an end to the protests.

Among the measures were ones requiring crowdfunding platforms to disclose information to federal law enforcement officials, as millions in donations flooded sites like GoFundMe and GiveSendGo.

Although the reporting measures for fundraising platforms were short-lived, the Liberals have said they want to make the change permanent.

Juan Benitez, the president of fundraising website GoFundMe, said his company's analysis of the more than $10 million donated through the platform found that 88 per cent of donations and 86 per cent of donors were from Canada.

The largest donation to the campaign was $30,000 and it came from Canada, said Kim Wilford, the platform's general counsel.

The platform ultimately decided to freeze funds and issue reimbursements after speaking with Ottawa's mayor and police about reports of violence, harassment and threatening behaviour.

Liberal MP Sophie Chatel raised the possibility of "Russian dark money" flowing to the convoy without citing direct evidence. Later in the hearing, Benitez said there were only a handful of donations from Russia to the convoy fundraiser and no evidence of a co-ordinated effort.

As streets in downtown Ottawa, including in front of Parliament Hill, were clogged with cars and trucks protesting public health restrictions and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government, sympathy protests sprang up around the country, including at key border crossings.

The weeklong blockade at the busy Ambassador Bridge connecting Windsor and Detroit, Mich., cost the North American automotive industry roughly $1 billion in unrecoverable production, said Flavio Volpe, president of the Automotive Parts Manufacturers' Association.

He said a similar amount was lost in pay for some 100,000 Canadian autoworkers.

During his opening remarks, Volpe said the blockade also cost Canada goodwill with our trading partners, and laid some blame on politicians who "shamelessly egged on" their social media followers.

"We need to have a better overall mitigation plan amongst all levels of government in place to avoid future freedom barbecues from blockading critical public infrastructure," he said.

MORE National ARTICLES

Illicit drug deaths in B.C. climbed in January

Illicit drug deaths in B.C. climbed in January
The coroner's service says illicit drugs caused 19 deaths in Northern Health, equal to a death rate of 74.5 per 100,000 residents, by far the highest rate of any health authority.

Illicit drug deaths in B.C. climbed in January

Man Shot in Guildford residence

Man Shot in Guildford residence
On March 10th, 2022 at 11:30 PM., Surrey RCMP received a report of shots fired in the area of 14100 and 104th Avenue. Frontline officers attended the area and located a male suffering from an apparent gun-shot wound.    

Man Shot in Guildford residence

B.C. Mountie charged with obstructing justice

B.C. Mountie charged with obstructing justice
The B.C. prosecution service says the officer in Kelowna was an investigator in the case. It says Const. Sean Eckland is due to appear in Kelowna provincial court on April 4.

B.C. Mountie charged with obstructing justice

VPD makes arrest after woman stabbed with hypodermic needle

VPD makes arrest after woman stabbed with hypodermic needle
VPD quickly arrested the suspect, a 27-year-old woman who lives in the neighbourhood. Kayla Elizabeth Kelly has now been charged for assault with a weapon.

VPD makes arrest after woman stabbed with hypodermic needle

336 COVID19 cases for Thursday

336 COVID19 cases for Thursday
There are 388 individuals hospitalized with COVID-19 and 52 are in intensive care. In the past 24 hours, four new deaths have been reported, for an overall total of 2,932.

336 COVID19 cases for Thursday

B.C. to ease COVID restrictions on masks, vax card

B.C. to ease COVID restrictions on masks, vax card
Starting on April 8, the B.C. vaccine card will no longer be required to access restaurants and other venues, while businesses can shift away from their COVID-19 safety plans.

B.C. to ease COVID restrictions on masks, vax card