Internal documents confirm a federal bank, Farm Credit Canada of Regina, told employees to secretly record the names of customers who supported the Freedom Convoy. The Access To Information records contradict the agency’s public denial it began blacklisting clients “in support of activity related to the Freedom Convoy.”.Staff emails showed managers were still compiling names of customers even after federal government lifted the Emergencies Act..“If you become aware of a customer’s involvement report it immediately,” Sophie Perreault, the agency’s chief operating officer, wrote in a staff email. Farm Credit customers suspected of sympathizing with the Freedom Convoy were not to be told they were under watch, wrote Perreault..Perreault’s email was dated last February 23. Cabinet lifted the Emergencies Act hours later that same day..“If you become aware of potential customer involvement in blockades, occupations and other support of activity related to the ‘Freedom Convoy,’ you must submit a tip to the customer diligence centre,” said the email..“Include the customer’s name, stated involvement, date and any other pertinent details. Please do not complete any investigative work yourself or communicate any information about FCC’s approach to customers who voluntarily disclose their involvement.”.“Any individual and entities that have been verified by the authorities as participating in illegal activity under the Act will face appropriate action, which will include not onboarding those found to violate the Act, freezing disbursements and assessing the need to terminate business relationships,” said the email..Blacklock’s Reporter disclosed the Farm Credit blacklist last February 24. The agency publicly denied it. “FCC has not compiled any list with respect to the Freedom Convoy,” wrote managers. “FCC employees must not speak to media.”.Internal emails reveal FCC employees questioned the directive to report the names and “other pertinent details” of customers who expressed support for the Freedom Convoy. “Why are we investigating this?” wrote one manager. “I expected we would get a list from the RCMP.”.Another manager questioned “how the Emergencies Act might impact on how we proceed if a customer was asked to repay their loans and didn’t.”.Records indicate one unnamed FCC director learned of a customer who “self-declared” as a Convoy sympathizer. “Folks just didn’t know what to do,” said the February 23 email..Another management email stressed: “We are not asking them to hunt people down and start scouring the net to see if a customer was involved.” However, records show as late as February 28, five days after cabinet lifted the Emergencies Act, agency employees continued to report names of customers for blacklisting as Freedom Convoy sympathizers..“Here is another tip for file,” wrote one employee. “I have identified two FCC customers that occupied Ottawa,” wrote another. “Both had trucks parked (blockade), and there are several photographs online. If sources are required please let me know.”.The emails were among 1,082 pages of FCC censored documents released through Access To Information.
