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Day 25 of Public Hearings, November 17, 2022 Public Inquiry for the Invocation of the Emergencies Act

Tia Riley

Day 25 of the Emergencies Act Public Inquiry, Finance Canada confirmed that Canadian banks took measures to freeze bank accounts at their discretion without receiving information from the RCMP.

Deputy Minister of Finance Canada Michael Sabia testified Thursday morning, alongside two assistant deputy ministers, Isabelle Jacques, who oversees financial security, and Rhys Mendes, who oversees economic policy.

The witnesses explained the process by which banks went about freezing the accounts of Freedom Convoy protesters based on the emergency measures drafted by Finance Canada.

ADM ISABELLE JACQUES, Sworn
DM MICHAEL SABIA, Sworn
ADM RHYS MENDES, Sworn
Examination in-Chief by Gordon Cameron
Examination in-Chief by Ms. Dahlia Shuhaibar
Examination in-Chief by Gordon Cameron(cont’d)
Cross-Examination by Mr. Brendan Miller
Cross-Examination by Ms. Ewa Krajewska
Cross-Examination by Mr. Sujit Choudhry
Cross-Examination by Mr. Graham Reeder
Cross-Examination by Mr. Michael Morris
Cross-Examination by Mr. Hatim Kheir
Cross-Examination by Ms. Stephanie Bowes
Cross-Examination by Ms. Christine Johnson
Cross-Examination by Mr. Tom McRae
Cross-Examination by Mr. Stephen Aylward
Re-Examination by Mr. Gordon Cameron

Deputy Minister of Finance Michael Sabia struggles to answer whether political donations are protected under freedom of expression Charter rights.

Finance panel claims they are not aware of any cases of mistaken identity in regards to protestors who had their bank accounts frozen. If the banks acted independently and outside of law enforcement as we have heard during testimony, how would they know?

This Deputy Minister of Finance being crossed by Freedom Convoy lawyer Brendan Miller definitely learned from his boss, Chrystia Freeland, how not to answer easy questions.

Assistant deputy finance minister Isabelle Jacques says some banks unilaterally froze bank accounts under the Emergencies Act without receiving any information from law enforcement.

Deputy Finance Minister Michael Sabia says he didn’t consider long term financial implications such as ruined credit scores an intended consequence of freezing bank accounts.

“If that had been an intended consequence, that would have been a form of extra-legal sanction.”

Assistant deputy minister of finance Isabelle Jacques testifies that banks froze accounts of protesters without any information from the RCMP.

Convoy protesters’ family members had bank accounts frozen, meaning they couldn’t buy things like groceries. Finance Dept. official Isabelle Jacques says “maybe some people were impacted, but…our focus was certainly on these people” involved in the Freedom Convoy.

When asked who takes responsibility for freezing the bank accounts of Freedom Convoy protesters, assistant deputy minister of finance Isabelle Jacques says that freezing the bank accounts “was quite a feat.”

Dept. of Finance official Isabelle Jacques provides more details on the directions provided to banks to freeze protesters accounts after the Emergencies Act was invoked.

Assistant Deputy Minister for Finance Isabelle Jacques speaks on her involvement in the drafting of the Emergency Economic Measures Order and claims that it was on banks to freeze accounts. “Ultimately it was their responsibility.”

Deputy Minister of Finance Michael Sabia struggles to answer whether political donations are protected under freedom of expression Charter rights.

Deputy Finance Minister Michael Sabia says he didn’t consider long term financial implications such as ruined credit scores an intended consequence of freezing bank accounts.

“If that had been an intended consequence, that would have been a form of extra-legal sanction.”

Watch as the deputy minister of finance Michael Sabia gladly accepts responsibility for freezing the bank accounts of Freedom Convoy protesters.

“Who froze the bank accounts?”
“We set the policy. And we are accountable for that policy.”

Canada’s deputy minister of finance Michael Sabia takes responsibility for freezing the bank accounts of Freedom Convoy protesters.

Counsel for the @POECommission
rips into former Bell CEO Michael Sabia, now Trudeau’s Deputy Finance Minister, for the despotic financial measures he put in place to punish anyone protesting his pal Justin, which captured everything from their family to child support payments

Deputy Minister of Finance Michael Sabia says to the commission, “there were no accounts from donors that were frozen,” and goes on to disregard effects on credit histories as “an issue for the financial institutions.”

Convoy Lawyer Brendan Miller asks deputy minister of finance Michael Sabia if freezing bank accounts infringes on Charter rights to freedom of expression.

If Freedom Convoy protesters didn’t want their bank accounts frozen, well, “It was a very simple solution: all you had to do was leave.”

This is how Deputy Finance Minister Michael Sabia justified the extreme measure enacted by the Canadian government.

Deputy Finance Minister Michael Sabia describing the Department of Finance’s actions throughout the protests: “We were able to avoid some potentially very, very serious consequences, for in effect millions of people.”

“There are real human consequences to these numbers.” At the POEC, Deputy Finance Minister Michael Sabia describes the economic hardship that individuals suffered as a result of the disruptions.

With the US pursuing “build back better” policies, Deputy Finance Minister Michael Sabia says protests like the Freedom Convoy “raise issues around the reliability of Canada as a trading partner — significant issues” in the Canada-US relationship.

Convoy Lawyer Brendan Miller asks deputy minister of finance Michael Sabia if freezing bank accounts infringes on Charter rights to freedom of expression.

Deputy Minister of Finance Michael Sabia says to the commission, “there were no accounts from donors that were frozen,” and goes on to disregard effects on credit histories as “an issue for the financial institutions.”

Deputy Finance Minister Michael Sabia comments on the Department of Finance’s discussions with bank officials prior to the invocation. “The EA was nothing more than an option at that point.”

“I think it’s reasonable to assume at least part of that was due to the blockades.”

Rhys Mendes, an official from the Dept. of Finance, tells the commission that a decrease in economic prosperity was because of the Freedom Convoy and related protests.

Justice Rouleau asks the finance panel for their final thoughts, says he appreciates their testimony even though it is biased.

MS. JODY THOMAS, Sworn
Examination in-Chief by Ms. Shatona Chaudhury
Cross-Examination by Mr. Brendan Miller
Cross-Examination by Ms. Anne Tardif
Cross-Examination by Mr. David Migcovsky
Cross-Examination by Ms. Cara Zwibel
Cross-Examination by Ms. Rebecca Jones
Cross-Examination by Mr. Rob Kittredge
Cross-Examination by Mr. Thomas McRae
Cross-Examination by Ms. Jennifer King
Cross-Examination by Mr. Michael Morris
Cross-Examination by Ms. Jinan Kubursi
Cross-Examination by Ms. Donnaree Nygard

Trudeau’s national security advisor Jody Thomas described the Freedom Convoy protest as a “national security threat” and that protesters “do not care about or understand democracy.”

National Security Advisor to the Prime Minister Jody Thomas recalls a “change in tone” and that protesters had gotten “bolder” after bouncy castles were placed and a “wrecking ball” was attached to a crane.

The Trudeau gov’t can consider threats “more broadly” than the intel by the country’s spy agency, CSIS, “in determining a national security threat or situation or public order emergency,” says national security adviser Jody Thomas.

When asked about the escalation and boldness of protesters, Trudeau’s national security advisor Jody Thomas talks about ….wait for it… bouncy castles!

Jody Thomas testifies that CSIS was not allowed to surveil the protest which at that time was considered lawful. It was “sensitive.”

“With the media reporting that there were probably some people who had other than peaceful intentions, what was CSIS going to do about that?”

Privy Council Office/National security advisor Jody THOMAS is cross-examined by Brendan MILLER.

“I just said to you. That we should not be doing that and so we have to find a legal framework for it. We are actually violently agreeing.”

Are threats to officials on social media the police’s response or a national emergency, asks convoy lawyer Brendan Miller.

Nat’l sec adviser Jody Thomas says “it depends on the situation.”

Trudeau gov’t national security adviser Jody Thomas described Ottawa as “the city of protests,” noting social media posts suggested it might be more than a simple protest. She testifies “the accountable agencies” expected the Freedom Convoy to big but manageable.

Transcripts presented to the commission highlight how national security adviser Jody Thomas learned of arrests at the Coutts blockade from the media, not directly from the RCMP.

National security adviser Jody Thomas testifies that from observations suggested the Freedom Convoy was becoming increasingly aggressive, noting “We saw things like the wrecking ball on Wellington St by then.”

Privy Council Office/National security advisor Jody THOMAS summarizes the convoy, Russia, and disinformation.

The Trudeau gov’t can consider threats “more broadly” than the intel by the country’s spy agency, CSIS, “in determining a national security threat or situation or public order emergency,” says national security adviser Jody Thomas.

National security adviser Jody Thomas testifies that from observations suggested the Freedom Convoy was becoming increasingly aggressive, noting “We saw things like the wrecking ball on Wellington St by then.”

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