Category: freedom convoy

Documents Detail Financial Institution Calls to RCMP on Convoy-Supporting Account Holders

Assiniboine Credit Union is among the financial institutions that allegedly reported on their account-holders for suspected support of the Freedom Convoy. The incidents are detailed in documents reviewed by Blacklock’s Reporter outlining the scope of the Emergencies Act account freezes. The Winnipeg credit union reported to the RCMP on Feb. 15, 2021, the first day…


Convoy Organizers Denied Access to $200,000 for Legal Fees

Two organizers of the Freedom Convoy who wanted $200,000 from funds frozen by the court, and held in trust pending a class action lawsuit for honking during the Ottawa protest earlier this year, were turned down by a judge on Dec. 6. Chris Garrah and Benjamin “BJ” Dichter argued at a hearing on Nov. 15…


Durham Police Constable Who Voiced Support for Freedom Convoy Demoted for Three Months

Durham Regional Police Constable Erin Howard has been demoted for three months after facing six disciplinary charges for voicing her support of the Ottawa Freedom Convoy protest and speaking out against pandemic-related mandates while in uniform. At a hearing on Dec. 6 before retired Superintendent Greg Walton, Howard plead guilty to one charge of dishonourable…


‘Seems Unlikely’ to Support Extremism: Federal Financial Intelligence Unit on Freedom Convoy Donations

A financial intelligence unit in Canada said in an internal memo that it saw no proof that the millions of dollars raised by the Freedom Convoy last winter were intended to support extremism. The memo, written by managers at the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre (FINTRAC), and obtained by Blacklock’s Reporter, said it “seems…


Trudeau Says He Expects Police to Prevent a Freedom Convoy Repeat as Planning Is Under Way

A week after testifying before the Emergencies Act inquiry, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Dec. 2 he expects police will take the appropriate measures to prevent a repeat of the Freedom Convoy as planning for a new iteration is under way. “I think we have learned a lot, and I think police corps across…


Emergencies Act Hearings End With Final Words on Transparency, Accountability

After 300 hours of testimony, 9,000 exhibits and a few major revelations, the public portion of on investigation into the first-ever use of the Emergencies Act ended Friday with a deep dive into questions about government accountability and transparency. A panel of experts offered insight into a key issue the Public Order Emergency Commission will…


Government to Un-Redact Text Messages, Notes of PMO Staff at Emergencies Act Inquiry

Lawyers for “Freedom Convoy” organizers have won their bid to get access to unredacted versions of 20 documents at the Public Order Emergency Act. Lawyer Brendan Miller applied to have the public inquiry release information in government documents that it had blacked-out, arguing the information should not be protected by parliamentary privilege. Commissioner Paul Rouleau…


National Security Officials Planning for 2023 ‘Freedom Convoy’ Reboot: Adviser to PM

The national security adviser to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says that senior officials are planning ahead for the possibility of another “Freedom Convoy” protest in early 2023. Jody Thomas told a parliamentary committee Thursday evening that deputy ministers, some of the most senior civil servants in the government, are meeting to discuss the prospective demonstration for the first time this week. Thomas said that Mike MacDonald, an assistant…


Military Was Told to Prepare to Intervene in ‘Freedom Convoy’ Protests: Official

The Defence Department’s top official says he told the military to prepare to intervene as “Freedom Convoy” protests gridlocked downtown Ottawa and several border crossings with the U.S. earlier this year. But Deputy Minister Bill Matthews says the plans were never seriously considered or presented to Defence Minister Anita Anand. Matthews instead says the Liberal…


CAF Not Pleased That Military Members Supported the Freedom Convoy

Emails from government and Canadian Armed Forces’ (CAF) officials regarding soldiers and military members who were in favour of the Freedom Convoy protest in Ottawa in February, show that officials condemned any military member supporting the protest. The emails, now public, were submitted as part of the inquiry into the invocation of the Emergencies Act…