Government Actions Against Truckers Protesting Vaccine Mandates
The Canadian government has issued a warning that it will freeze the bank accounts and suspend the vehicle insurance of truck drivers who persist in blockading roads in protest of vaccine mandates. This declaration comes as the country enacts a national emergency to address the resulting traffic issues.
At a press conference on Monday, Canadian Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland stated, “This is about following the money. This is about stopping the financing of these illegal blockades.” She emphasized the government’s intention to halt any financial transactions connected to the protests.
Freeland announced, “Today we are notifying you that if your truck is utilized in these unlawful blockades, your corporate accounts will be frozen, and vehicle insurance will be suspended.” She further clarified that this would also affect personal financial accounts connected to the truckers.
“Send your semi-trailers back home. The Canadian economy needs them engaged in legitimate work instead of illegally impacting our prosperity,” Freeland added.
Under Trudeau’s administration, banks are authorized to freeze or suspend accounts implicated in illegal activities without a court order, according to Freeland.
On the same day, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who was present during Freeland’s address, revealed that he would activate Canada’s Emergencies Act for the first time in history. This measure represents his administration’s latest strategy to tackle the ongoing “Freedom Convoy” protests against vaccine mandates that began in Ottawa on January 28, which have since spread nationwide, obstructing streets, bridges, and disrupting trade routes.
The Emergencies Act grants the government the authority to temporarily override civil rights, impose travel restrictions, prevent public gatherings, and compel businesses to operate without compensation. Trudeau noted, “These measures will be time-limited, targeted geographically, and will be reasonable and proportionate to the risks they aim to mitigate.” He also mentioned that military deployment is not planned.
Additionally, Freeland announced an expansion of Canada’s anti-money laundering and terrorist financing laws to include cryptocurrencies and crowdfunding platforms. In recent weeks, supporters of the truckers attempted to finance the Freedom Convoy through bitcoin and crowdfunding platforms, raising millions of dollars. Notably, GoFundMe blocked $10 million in donations to the truckers, which led supporters to generate $900,000 in bitcoin, as reported by Insider’s Hamza Fareed Malik.
“The illegal blockades have underscored that crowdfunding platforms and certain payment service providers are not fully covered under the Proceeds of Crime and Terrorist Financing Act,” added Freeland. Starting Monday, all crowdfunding platforms and their payment processors are required to register with Canada’s national financial intelligence agency and report significant or suspicious transactions.
