Canadian banks have been freezing the accounts and canceling credit cards of people linked to the trucker protests in accordance with the Emergencies Act, which Prime Minister Justin Trudeau invoked last week in an attempt to clear the demonstrators from Ottawa.
Trudeau said Monday emergency powers are still needed despite the progress police have made in stamping out weeks long paralyzing protests by truckers and others angry over Canada´s COVID-19 restrictions.
'The situation is still fragile, the state of emergency is still there,' Trudeau said Monday.
Trudeau noted there are some truckers that are just outside Ottawa that may be planning further blockades and his public safety minister noted there was an effort to block a border crossing in British Columbia on the weekend.
'Even though the blockades are lifted across border openings right now, even though things seem to be resolving very well in Ottawa, this state of emergency is not over,' Trudeau said. 'There continues to be real concerns about the coming days.'
Lawmakers in Parliament will vote Monday night whether to allow police to continue to use emergency powers. The opposition New Democrat party has said it will support Trudeau's Liberals, ensuring Trudeau has enough votes.
Trudeau has been blasted for the move, seen as draconian and an affront to the right to protest, but said he's confident lawmakers will vote to continue to allow police to use emergencies act, which allows authorities to declare certain areas as no go zones.
It also allows police to freeze truckers' personal and corporate bank accounts and compels tow truck companies to tow away vehicles.
A single mother named only as Briane is one of those people, according to Canadian MP Mark Strahl, as concerns grow that scores of ordinary people will no longer be able to pay for food and basics if their accounts have been frozen just for making a donation.
He tweeted her story Sunday, shining a light on how her livelihood is being affected by Trudeau's orders.
'Briane is a single mom from Chilliwack working a minimum wage job. She gave $50 to the convoy when it was 100% legal. She hasn't participated in any other way. Her bank account has now been frozen. This is who Justin Trudeau is actually targeting with his Emergencies Act orders.'
Response on social media varied from those angry at the situation, stating this would have never happened to Black Lives Matter protesters, and offered to help Briane, to those who claimed Briane was fake, a sob story made up by conservatives spread fear across Canada.
'Thank you to those who have read this and offered to help someone you've never met,' Strahl tweeted. 'Shame on those who have read it and attacked someone you've never met. I will keep working with Briane to resolve this matter with her bank and will provide updates as they are made available.'
'To those of you, especially the media, demanding more details on Briane, having seen what has been said about her online today and what has been done to other convoy donors in the last weeks I am not going to help you dox her,' Strahl continued. 'I know who she is and I won't stop fighting for her.'
(...) Daily Mail
