Evidence of meeting #10 for Declaration of Emergency in the 44th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was police.

A video is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Joint Chair  Hon. Gwen Boniface (Senator, Ontario, ISG)
Vernon White  Senator, Ontario, C
Peter Harder  Senator, Ontario, PSG

7:25 p.m.

Conservative

Larry Brock Conservative Brantford—Brant, ON

I'm not asking you to speak for the CBC. I'm asking whether you were informed that the CBC retracted the story, the false story, about foreign funding and donations to the convoy.

7:25 p.m.

Liberal

Chrystia Freeland Liberal University—Rosedale, ON

Again, Mr. Brock, I don't believe that the CBC is being interrogated here. I believe it's the Government of Canada.

7:25 p.m.

Conservative

Larry Brock Conservative Brantford—Brant, ON

Just answer the question, Minister Freeland. Were you aware, yes or no? It's a simple question.

7:25 p.m.

Liberal

Chrystia Freeland Liberal University—Rosedale, ON

I don't have the article before me, and I'm not here to answer questions about the CBC and its reporting.

7:25 p.m.

Conservative

Larry Brock Conservative Brantford—Brant, ON

The Deputy Prime Minister, the most senior cabinet minister, is not prepared to accept whether or not the CBC retracted a false story?

7:25 p.m.

Liberal

Chrystia Freeland Liberal University—Rosedale, ON

I don't speak for the CBC, sir.

7:25 p.m.

Conservative

Larry Brock Conservative Brantford—Brant, ON

You, as the most senior cabinet minister and the Deputy Prime Minister relied upon that initial story from the CBC and shared your concerns with Canadians regarding “terrorism funding” and “money laundering”—your words. Is that correct?

7:25 p.m.

Liberal

Chrystia Freeland Liberal University—Rosedale, ON

Let me be very clear. My principal concern when it comes to the illegal occupation and the illegal blockades is the economic harm that was done to Canada.

7:25 p.m.

Conservative

Larry Brock Conservative Brantford—Brant, ON

Let me be very clear, Minister Freeland: Several times in the House you referred to terrorism funding and money laundering.

Are you saying you didn't use those words?

7:25 p.m.

Liberal

Chrystia Freeland Liberal University—Rosedale, ON

I am speaking here today and I am talking about the central motivation of our very serious actions.

7:25 p.m.

Conservative

Larry Brock Conservative Brantford—Brant, ON

And I'm here to ask you questions, and I expect, unlike in question period, a response.

My question is do you recall using the words “terrorism funding” and “money laundering” in the House and reporting outside the House—yes or no, Minister Freeland?

7:25 p.m.

Liberal

Chrystia Freeland Liberal University—Rosedale, ON

I believe if we were in a court of law, where I think you once worked, that might be called badgering the witness, Mr. Brock.

7:25 p.m.

Conservative

Larry Brock Conservative Brantford—Brant, ON

Chair...?

7:25 p.m.

The Joint Chair Hon. Gwen Boniface

Can we allow the question to be answered?

7:25 p.m.

Liberal

Chrystia Freeland Liberal University—Rosedale, ON

Thank you.

As I said, my core concern as Minister of Finance, and my central justification for these very serious measures that we put in place, as was clear in my opening statement—

7:25 p.m.

Conservative

Larry Brock Conservative Brantford—Brant, ON

You're not answering the question. I'm going to move on.

7:25 p.m.

Liberal

Chrystia Freeland Liberal University—Rosedale, ON

—[Inaudible Editor] is the economic impact.

7:25 p.m.

Conservative

Larry Brock Conservative Brantford—Brant, ON

You're not answering the question, and I will move on.

7:25 p.m.

Liberal

Arif Virani Liberal Parkdale—High Park, ON

Madam Chair, on a point of order, it's entirely possible that Mr. Brock doesn't like the answer he's hearing, but the witness is entitled to provide an answer. Could she be provided the opportunity to provide an answer?

7:25 p.m.

Conservative

Larry Brock Conservative Brantford—Brant, ON

Madam Chair, the witness may not like the questions, but she's not entitled to establish her own facts in responding with an answer that is non-responsive and not relevant to the question.

7:25 p.m.

The Joint Chair Hon. Gwen Boniface

We'll move it back 20 seconds and allow you to ask your last question.

7:30 p.m.

Conservative

Larry Brock Conservative Brantford—Brant, ON

Do you agree with me that the deputy director of FINTRAC, Mr. MacKillop, confirmed at committee that the convoy funding did not come from terrorism funding or money laundering, and the typical person who donated hundreds and thousands of dollars to the convoy...came from their own resources and posed no security threat? Do you accept that?

7:30 p.m.

Liberal

Chrystia Freeland Liberal University—Rosedale, ON

What I accept, Mr. Brock, is that the core threat was to the Canadian economy, to our reputation as a trading partner and investment destination. I made that clear in my opening remarks—

7:30 p.m.

Conservative

Larry Brock Conservative Brantford—Brant, ON

Thank you for the non-response, Minister.

7:30 p.m.

Liberal

Chrystia Freeland Liberal University—Rosedale, ON

—and that is my view.