GoFundMe pauses anti-vaccine mandate protest fundraiser
CBC
The popular crowdfunding site GoFundMe has paused a multi-million dollar fundraiser for the convoy protest now tying Ottawa in knots, saying it wants to ensure that the fundraiser complies with its terms of service.
Late Wednesday afternoon, a notice suddenly popped up on the "Freedom Convoy 2022" fundraising page.
"This fundraiser is currently paused and under review to ensure it complies with our terms of service and applicable laws and regulations," the company wrote. "Our team is working 24/7 and doing all we can to protect both organizers and donors. Thank you for your patience."
The company did not say how long the fundraiser would be paused, or what might happen to the $10.1 million already collected from more than 120,000 donors. Several questions to the company from CBC News have not yet been answered.
The announcement by GoFundMe came on the same day Ottawa's police chief said some of the money donated has come from the United States.
A CBC News analysis of the donations last week found that at least a third of the donors were listed as anonymous or used invented names. Several donors left comments along with their donations saying they were located in countries like the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Poland.
The fundraiser — one of the most successful Canadian fundraisers in the platform's history — has also raised questions about where the money is coming from and how it eventually will be used.
At one point, GoFundMe froze the money — but still allowed donations to be made — while it asked organizers for more information about how the money would be spent. The site eventually unfroze the money and has turned over at least $1 million to the organizers.
Donations to the fundraiser are now on pause, although their numbers have been declining over the past couple of days.
Convoy organizers have not yet responded to requests from CBC News for comment.
Alexander Cohen, director of communications for federal Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino, said federal cabinet ministers' offices have not had any communication with GoFundMe.
GoFundMe's decision comes a day after Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson said he has asked the city's solicitor to look into the city's legal recourse because the convoy protest is costing the municipality $1 million a day for police, bylaw officers and public works employees.
Cohen said federal "public safety partners" are helping Ottawa police and the federal government will help with funding.
"The federal government supports the City of Ottawa in these types of situations through the Nation's Capital Extraordinary Policing Costs Program," he said. "The program sets aside $15 million over five years to help cover policing costs incurred in the course of duties specific to the nation's capital, allowing the city access to nearly $3 million every year.
Alberta's declining COVID-19 vaccination rate is sparking more concern as it becomes clear how uptake in the province compares to other parts of the country.
Drivers faced treacherous road conditions Friday morning as tempuratures started to drop below freezing following a night of rain.
A cold front is sweeping through the Greater Toronto Area Friday morning, according to a special weather statement by Environment Canada.
In the wake of Calgary's council kicking off a process to repeal the city's blanket rezoning policy, the corporation responsible for administering significant federal housing money warns the changes could put funding for new housing at risk.
Residents of an apartment building in St. John's are finding their footing again after a fire burned through the complex leaving most without anything in October.
A new program aimed at providing employment advice for workers facing layoffs at Algoma Steel has been launched in Sault Ste. Marie, Ont..
Even if Samuel Provo-Benoit doesn’t get the present he dearly wants in time for Christmas — a kidney and pancreas transplant to beat the Type 1 diabetes that’s steadily destroying his body — he has something else to celebrate.
A claim by New Brunswick Premier Susan Holt that petroleum refiners will be paying the $1 million per week cost of a gasoline price cut that her government orchestrated last weekend does not appear to be unfolding that way.
Sonia Bélanger, junior health minister and the minister responsible for senior and social services, is expected to be sworn in as early as Friday as Quebec's new health minister, according to sources at Radio-Canada.
A growing number of Manitoba's MRI machines now use artificial intelligence, with a plan to have more than half using the technology by spring.
A mobile unit the Saskatchewan government bought in 2002 for providing mammograms to Saskatchewan women will soon retire.
The Prince Edward Island government is rolling out the province’s first-ever policing standards, which officials say will make police services more consistent, transparent and better supported.
Residents in Niagara Falls, Ont., continue to wait for news on the future of Marineland’s property and dozens of animals, including up to 30 belugas and four dolphins — nearly two months after the federal government turned down the theme park's request to export the mammals.