‘Very unlikely’ assets of most small-time donors to Freedom Convoy would be frozen, MPs told

Roughly 206 accounts connected to so-called Freedom Convoy, totaling more than $7 million in assets, frozen under federal emergency powers.

It is “very unlikely” most small-time donors to the so-called Freedom Convoy would have their bank accounts frozen under federal emergency powers, officials told MPs Tuesday.

While tens of thousands donated funds to the convoy organizers’ cause, a senior Finance Canada official said Tuesday just 206 accounts remain “frozen” due to their association with the illegal protest that ground downtown Ottawa to a halt for more than three weeks.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Feb. 14 that his government would invoke the Emergencies Act, a never-before-used law designed to give Ottawa exceptional powers in a state of emergency.

Trudeau and his cabinet have argued, and continue to argue, that emergency powers were required to bring an end to the illegal occupation of downtown Ottawa, and to prevent future blockades of key trade corridors with the United States.

That’s given rise to concerns — particularly from the opposition Conservatives — that individual Canadians could have their bank accounts frozen and lives derailed for kicking $20 in support of the convoy.

Based on what the RCMP and federal officials have said so far, however, it is unlikely that individual donors would have their accounts frozen.

So according to federal authorities, to be caught under the emergency powers, someone would have had to have donated in the last seven days, would have to be associated with one of the roughly 200 accounts, and would have had to be flagged by the RCMP for some other reason than donating to the cause.

“Although not impossible, that someone who donated $20 be captured and have their bank account frozen, I find that scenario … I think that would be in rare circumstances,” Jacques told MPs.