Mr. MacKillop.
Evidence of meeting #6 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 chair.
A video is available from Parliament.
Evidence of meeting #6 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 chair.
A video is available from Parliament.
8:25 p.m.
Deputy Director, Intelligence, Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada
That is also accurate.
8:25 p.m.
Liberal
Yasir Naqvi Liberal Ottawa Centre, ON
Am I also hearing correctly from both of you that you were not directing the RCMP or any police investigation in terms of any individuals or entities that might be involved in the illegal activities?
Ms. Jacques.
8:25 p.m.
Assistant Deputy Minister, Financial Sector Policy Branch, Department of Finance
That is also true. We were not involved at all.
May 3rd, 2022 / 8:25 p.m.
Deputy Director, Intelligence, Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada
That is also correct.
8:25 p.m.
Liberal
Yasir Naqvi Liberal Ottawa Centre, ON
The conversations that were taking place in terms of investigations and enforcement were solely between the RCMP and the financial institutions?
8:25 p.m.
Assistant Deputy Minister, Financial Sector Policy Branch, Department of Finance
To the best of my knowledge, yes. We were not involved.
8:25 p.m.
Deputy Director, Intelligence, Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada
That's true to the best of my knowledge as well. I think the RCMP would be able to respond more directly in terms of the content of the discussions they had with the banks, but FINTRAC was not involved.
8:25 p.m.
Liberal
Yasir Naqvi Liberal Ottawa Centre, ON
Ms. Jacques, as I have heard from you during this testimony, the purpose behind the orders and the regulations we're dealing with was to put an end to the illegal activities that were taking place.
8:25 p.m.
Assistant Deputy Minister, Financial Sector Policy Branch, Department of Finance
That is correct. There was a hope that it would help achieve that purpose.
8:25 p.m.
Assistant Deputy Minister, Financial Sector Policy Branch, Department of Finance
I believe it did, based on some comments I received from the RCMP, but I am sure they would be able to answer that directly.
8:25 p.m.
Liberal
Yasir Naqvi Liberal Ottawa Centre, ON
Mr. MacKillop, can you comment on that particular aspect from your perspective?
8:25 p.m.
Deputy Director, Intelligence, Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada
Not particularly from my perspective, Mr. Chair. Because the accounts were frozen and the fundraising was essentially frozen at that point and ceased, we would not have seen any transactions. We don't monitor transactions anyway.
Whether or not it had the effect, it would appear—again, as Madame Jacques mentioned—that the RCMP or the Ottawa police would be best placed to inform the committee on whether or not the possibility of having your account frozen if you stayed on the Hill was in fact a significant motivation for people to leave when they finally left peacefully.
8:25 p.m.
Liberal
Yasir Naqvi Liberal Ottawa Centre, ON
Okay. Great. Thank you.
The application of the order and the regulations...it was prospective in nature when it came into force. There was no application retroactively. Is that a correct understanding, Ms. Jacques?
8:25 p.m.
Assistant Deputy Minister, Financial Sector Policy Branch, Department of Finance
That is also correct. The order was solely prospective. It was not retroactive in application.
8:25 p.m.
Liberal
8:25 p.m.
Deputy Director, Intelligence, Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada
That is correct, sir.
8:25 p.m.
Liberal
Yasir Naqvi Liberal Ottawa Centre, ON
Okay.
Ms. Jacques, it is your testimony that all the accounts, all the financial products that were frozen, have been unfrozen as of February 25, as I understand it.
8:25 p.m.
Assistant Deputy Minister, Financial Sector Policy Branch, Department of Finance
The 24th, that's right.
8:25 p.m.
Assistant Deputy Minister, Financial Sector Policy Branch, Department of Finance
Because we received the final report saying that all accounts were unfrozen.
8:25 p.m.
Liberal
Yasir Naqvi Liberal Ottawa Centre, ON
Okay. Thank you.
I know there was a bit of a discussion....
Can you quickly outline the privacy aspect that has been maintained in order to protect the privacy of individuals and entities involved, Ms. Jacques?