Bureaucrats in the Finance department admitted Tuesday night they never verified whether all bank accounts frozen under a Freedom Convoy order were justified, says Blacklock's Reporter..The department relied on banks to act in good faith, they said..“Financial institutions acted in good faith,” Isabelle Jacques, assistant deputy finance minister, told a Special Joint Committee on the Declaration of Emergency..About $7.8 million belonging to suspected convoy supporters were frozen in 267 bank and credit union accounts and 170 bitcoin wallets, by official estimate..Accounts were frozen under a 9/11-era Proceeds Of Crime And Terrorist Financing Act without court order or notice to depositors. Cabinet invoked the February 14 order after declaring a national emergency over the Freedom Convoy barricade outside Parliament..MPs questioned what measures were taken to ensure bankers did not overstep the order..“Who checked whether these account freezes were justified or not?” asked Bloc Québécois MP Rhéal Fortin (Riviere-du-Nord, Que.):.Assistant Deputy Jacques: “There was no verification that was done. Financial institutions acted in good faith.”MP Fortin: “You are certain of that? Why are you certain of that?”Assistant Deputy Jacques: “What I mean is that we didn’t do any follow up to ensure.”MP Fortin: “That wasn’t important? You assumed?”Assistant Deputy Jacques: “I didn’t say it wasn’t important.”MP Fortin: “But you didn’t do it.”.The emergency order was lifted February 23. However, the Canadian Bankers Association in March 8 testimony at the Commons finance committee said accounts frozen during the blockade could be marked for life..“There would be something in the file indicating a freeze had taken place,” testified Angelina Mason, general counsel for the Bankers Association..Bankers and credit union managers said they relied on RCMP blacklists to freeze accounts. However, bank executives acknowledged acting on their own to mark accounts of depositors who may not have been blacklisted by police..“Were there accounts of individuals frozen that did not appear on a list of names submitted by banks to the RCMP?” asked New Democrat MP Daniel Blaikie (Elmwood-Transcona, Man.)..“Yes,” replied Mason..The Bankers Association said the emergency order did not lead to any usual withdrawals. However the Canadian Credit Union Association in a March 17 submission to the finance committee said there was “some degree of panic” that led to the withdrawal of millions in deposits..This is what the Western Standard is up againstThe Trudeau government is funding lies and propaganda by directly subsidizing the mainstream media. They do this to entrench the powerful Eastern, woke and corrupt interests that dominate the political, social and economic institutions in Canada. Federal authorities are constantly trying to censor us and stop us from publishing the stories that they don’t want you to read. Ottawa may weaponize our taxes and police against us, but we’ve got a powerful ally on our side.You. Free men, and free women. We need you to stand with us and become a member of the Western Standard. Here’s what you will get for your membership:Unlimited access to all articles from the Western Standard, Alberta Report, West Coast Standard, and Saskatchewan Standard, with no paywall. Our daily newsletter delivered to your inbox. .Access to exclusive Member-only WS events.Keep the West’s leading independent media voice strong and free.If you can, please support us with a monthly or annual membership. It takes just a moment to set up, and you will be making a big impact on keeping one the last independent media outlets in Canada free from Ottawa’s corrupting influence.
Bureaucrats in the Finance department admitted Tuesday night they never verified whether all bank accounts frozen under a Freedom Convoy order were justified, says Blacklock's Reporter..The department relied on banks to act in good faith, they said..“Financial institutions acted in good faith,” Isabelle Jacques, assistant deputy finance minister, told a Special Joint Committee on the Declaration of Emergency..About $7.8 million belonging to suspected convoy supporters were frozen in 267 bank and credit union accounts and 170 bitcoin wallets, by official estimate..Accounts were frozen under a 9/11-era Proceeds Of Crime And Terrorist Financing Act without court order or notice to depositors. Cabinet invoked the February 14 order after declaring a national emergency over the Freedom Convoy barricade outside Parliament..MPs questioned what measures were taken to ensure bankers did not overstep the order..“Who checked whether these account freezes were justified or not?” asked Bloc Québécois MP Rhéal Fortin (Riviere-du-Nord, Que.):.Assistant Deputy Jacques: “There was no verification that was done. Financial institutions acted in good faith.”MP Fortin: “You are certain of that? Why are you certain of that?”Assistant Deputy Jacques: “What I mean is that we didn’t do any follow up to ensure.”MP Fortin: “That wasn’t important? You assumed?”Assistant Deputy Jacques: “I didn’t say it wasn’t important.”MP Fortin: “But you didn’t do it.”.The emergency order was lifted February 23. However, the Canadian Bankers Association in March 8 testimony at the Commons finance committee said accounts frozen during the blockade could be marked for life..“There would be something in the file indicating a freeze had taken place,” testified Angelina Mason, general counsel for the Bankers Association..Bankers and credit union managers said they relied on RCMP blacklists to freeze accounts. However, bank executives acknowledged acting on their own to mark accounts of depositors who may not have been blacklisted by police..“Were there accounts of individuals frozen that did not appear on a list of names submitted by banks to the RCMP?” asked New Democrat MP Daniel Blaikie (Elmwood-Transcona, Man.)..“Yes,” replied Mason..The Bankers Association said the emergency order did not lead to any usual withdrawals. However the Canadian Credit Union Association in a March 17 submission to the finance committee said there was “some degree of panic” that led to the withdrawal of millions in deposits..This is what the Western Standard is up againstThe Trudeau government is funding lies and propaganda by directly subsidizing the mainstream media. They do this to entrench the powerful Eastern, woke and corrupt interests that dominate the political, social and economic institutions in Canada. Federal authorities are constantly trying to censor us and stop us from publishing the stories that they don’t want you to read. Ottawa may weaponize our taxes and police against us, but we’ve got a powerful ally on our side.You. Free men, and free women. We need you to stand with us and become a member of the Western Standard. Here’s what you will get for your membership:Unlimited access to all articles from the Western Standard, Alberta Report, West Coast Standard, and Saskatchewan Standard, with no paywall. Our daily newsletter delivered to your inbox. .Access to exclusive Member-only WS events.Keep the West’s leading independent media voice strong and free.If you can, please support us with a monthly or annual membership. It takes just a moment to set up, and you will be making a big impact on keeping one the last independent media outlets in Canada free from Ottawa’s corrupting influence.
