Declaration of Emergency Committee on June 14th, 2022

[Chrystia Freeland, Liberal, University—Rosedale, ON]

That's what I thought you were getting at.

That certainly is a power that exists. The concern was that the additional powers were needed to act more quickly. I believe that on March 6, the assistant commissioner of the RCMP, Michel Arcand, confirmed that the invocation of the Emergencies Act allowed the RCMP and financial institutions to act much more quickly. He confirmed that each frozen account in other circumstances would have required its own court order, which could have taken days to be brought forward. He also confirmed that, absent the Emergencies Act, the RCMP would not have had the power to coordinate efforts between themselves and the Ottawa Police Service.

[Vernon White]

I thank you for that, Minister, because, really, that's what I'm referring to. On February 17 a Mareva injunction was brought forward by a local lawyer and a group of business people that did exactly the same thing the Emergencies Act did, so, certainly, it should have been considered an option.

I don't think the RCMP actually ever discussed recommending the Emergencies Act a week prior when we had them before us. It will be interesting when we get them back.

Since the goal wasn't to seize the assets but only to freeze them, I guess my question really was why the government didn't take that step, and you've answered that, thank you.

Can you offer to us what options were contemplated, other than the invocation of the act, for some of the other assets required? An example would be aid to civil power by a police agency, in particular the RCMP, who use the civil power probably multiple times every year, typically for equipment. Was that considered in the absence of the invocation of the act? If it was, what made the government decide not to use it?

[Chrystia Freeland, Liberal, University—Rosedale, ON]

You know, Senator, when it comes to the powers that the RCMP felt they needed, I think it would be most appropriate to hear directly from the RCMP.

I have spoken about court orders and the much more time-consuming process to get a court order for each account, versus the approach that the Emergencies Act permitted.

In saying that, though, I do want to emphasize one thing, which is that I am really aware of the seriousness and the gravity of the authority that the Emergencies Act granted when it came to freezing bank accounts, so I want to pick up on something that you said. The point here was to freeze, to suspend. It was in no way to confiscate. I also want to point out that those accounts were unfrozen as of February 24. I further want to point out that the decisions were made by financial institutions themselves based on their reading of the act, and also based upon conversations with the RCMP.

These were not political decisions, and in no way were small donors focused on.

[The Joint Chair, Hon. Gwen Boniface]

Your time is up, Senator White.

[Vernon White]

Thank you very much.

[The Joint Chair, Hon. Gwen Boniface]

You will get a second round.

Committee members, if you're agreeable, we have time to do five minutes this next round, keeping in mind that only two senators will speak and that that would take us through eight o'clock, if that's all agreeable. Normally we would be doing four minutes at this point, but we have time, so we are good.

We will lead off with Mr. Brock for five minutes.

[Larry Brock, Conservative, Brantford—Brant, ON]

Thank you, Chair.

Minister Freeland, you will agree with me that the—

[Arif Virani, Liberal, Parkdale—High Park, ON]

Madam Chair, on a point of order, I'm sorry to interrupt, but I believe if we don't have a four-minute round now, that will prevent one Liberal from asking a round of questions of Minister Freeland, which would be unfair, so we would prefer to keep to the four minutes as previously approved in the rules of procedure that we passed by motion at this committee.

[The Joint Chair, Hon. Gwen Boniface]

I believe Mr. Naqvi will have a chance to ask the question.

[Arif Virani, Liberal, Parkdale—High Park, ON]

There are three Liberals on the committee, Madam Chair.

[The Joint Chair, Hon. Gwen Boniface]

It's the same number of rounds.

[Arif Virani, Liberal, Parkdale—High Park, ON]

By going from four minutes to five minutes, you will eliminate the possibility of a third round, which eliminates the possibility for a third Liberal to asking questions.

[The Joint Chair, Hon. Gwen Boniface]

We don't normally have a third round, but if I'm hearing objections, we will go for four minutes.

Mr. Brock.

[Larry Brock, Conservative, Brantford—Brant, ON]

Shall I restart my clock, Madam Chair?

[The Joint Chair, Hon. Gwen Boniface]

Yes, please.

[Larry Brock, Conservative, Brantford—Brant, ON]

I'm ready now. Thank you.

[The Joint Chair, Hon. Gwen Boniface]

Go ahead.

[Larry Brock, Conservative, Brantford—Brant, ON]

Minister Freeland, you will agree with me that the state-owned taxpayer-funded Canadian Broadcasting Corporation reported on February 10, 2022, that the GoFundMe donations to the convoy protest came from donors located outside of Canada.

Do you agree with that?

[Chrystia Freeland, Liberal, University—Rosedale, ON]

I don't have the report in front of me and I haven't memorized all CBC reports, but I'm prepared to believe you.

[Larry Brock, Conservative, Brantford—Brant, ON]

In fact, they stated that the donations came from America, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Australia, New Zealand and the Netherlands.

You would also accept that as fact?

[Chrystia Freeland, Liberal, University—Rosedale, ON]

I don't see the article before me, but you say that's what it says.

[Larry Brock, Conservative, Brantford—Brant, ON]

They even claimed that the convoy might be Russian funded.

Do you recall that?

[Chrystia Freeland, Liberal, University—Rosedale, ON]

Again, you're reading from the article.

[Larry Brock, Conservative, Brantford—Brant, ON]

Yes.

On March 21, 2022, the CBC, without any explanation, without apology and without any clarity retracted their story regarding the funding of the protest.

You are aware of that?

[Chrystia Freeland, Liberal, University—Rosedale, ON]

Again, I'm not speaking for the CBC. I'm speaking for the Department of Finance.