Credit union depositors who made Freedom Convoy protest signs were reported to police, records show. Desjardins Group, one of the country’s largest credit unions, also reported customers who made “suspicious” purchases of fuel..“Here is some information Desjardins wants to disclose,” read a February 19 email to the RCMP. Managers listed several customers under an Emergencies Act directive targeting convoy sympathizers..According to Blacklock's Reporter, Desjardins named a couple that deposited $20,000. “The money is used to pay some bills regarding marketing like signs and paper for the (protest),” wrote Desjardin. “We are waiting for more instructions in regards of the above.”.The credit union also reported customers who made cash withdrawals in the Ottawa area, billed for “suspicious” purchases of fuel or withdrew funds “in regards to the Ottawa convoy to pay some bills like hotels.”.Cabinet to date has not disclosed the impact of its use of the Proceeds Of Crime And Terrorist Financing Act to freeze accounts of protest sympathizers. Records show a blacklist of 201 trucking companies linked to the protests was distributed by Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland’s office while RCMP emailed their own lists to lobbyists like the Mutual Fund Dealers Association..Lawyers opposed to use of the Emergencies Act on Friday told the Public Order Emergency Commission the bank freeze was unprecedented. “Freezing the bank accounts of Canadians engaged in political protest without due process is extraordinary,” said Mandy England, counsel for the Government of Alberta..“We have heard evidence it was not only accounts of those protesters but joint accounts, meaning Canadians who weren’t at the protest at all, had their accounts frozen,” said England. “The question is whether the fact it might have been a quick way or an easy way to bring a protest to an end can be accepted as sufficient justification for such a serious and broad infringement on the rights of Canadian citizens.”.Internal records disclosed by the Commission included a protest by Senator Clément Gignac (Que.), a Liberal appointee and former chief economist for the National Bank. “He mentioned how it would look bad on us if we were not longer seen as a nation of laws,” said a February 21 memo by a political aide to the finance minister..“Senator Gignac has been in contact with a number of bank presidents and they are uncomfortable with the position they are being put in,” said the memo. “In a text he wrote: ‘I hope Minister Freeland’s office will give you some guidance. I spoke to a bank president and they feel like they have the monkey on their back in the absence of clear guidelines.’”
