The federal Privacy Commissioner is being asked to determine if the bank freeze on Freedom Convoy supporters complied with an Act of Parliament. One MP said committee testimony from bankers suggested the blacklisting of convoy sympathizers may have breached the Privacy Act..“Institutions received no instruction on how to properly store, keep or use the data received from the RCMP,” Conservative MP Adam Chambers (Simcoe North, Ont.) wrote in a letter to the Privacy Commissioner. “There were no limits placed or instructions provided regarding how receiving institutions may use or rely on data received even after the Act’s use had expired.”.According to Blacklock's Reporter, cabinet last February 14 invoked the Emergencies Act and issued orders permitting banks and credit unions to freeze accounts held by convoy sympathizers. No federal audit on banks’ use of police blacklists was ever conducted..“No instructions were provided on how long data was to be stored or a defined time period after which data should be destroyed,” wrote Chambers, who requested a formal investigation. “There appear to have been no instruction or restriction on whom or how many individuals within a receiving institution may have access to the data.”.“What was the information shared with receiving institutions: name, address, date of birth, Social Insurance Number, other identifying information, information about alleged offences?” asked Chambers. “How many individuals had private personal details and alleged activities shared?”.The freeze affected $7.8 million in 267 bank and credit union accounts and 170 bitcoin wallets, by official estimate. Accounts were frozen under a 9/11-era Proceeds Of Crime And Terrorist Financing Act without court order or notice to depositors. The order was lifted February 23..The Department of Finance in a May 3 testimony at the Special Joint Committee on the Declaration of Emergency said it never verified whether all account freezes were justified. “Financial institutions acted in good faith,” said Isabelle Jacques, assistant deputy finance minister..The Canadian Bankers Association in March 7 testimony at the House of Commons finance committee said depositors whose accounts were frozen could be flagged in perpetuity. “There would be something in the file indicating a freeze had taken place,” said Angelina Mason, general counsel for the Association..“Were there accounts of individuals frozen that did not appear on a list of names submitted to banks by the RCMP?” asked New Democrat MP Daniel Blaikie (Elmwood-Transcona, Man.). “Yes,” replied Mason..“Was there an increase in withdrawal activity in the days following the triggering of the Emergencies Act?” asked Conservative MP Ed Fast (Abbotsford, B.C.). “There are anecdotal stories, not anything of significance,” replied Mason..The Canadian Credit Union Association said it saw millions withdrawn by panicked depositors. “Many Canadians felt surprised the government had that authority,” CEO Martha Durdin told a March 17 finance committee hearing..“The government was less than clear about the intended targets of financial measures under the Emergencies Act,” said Durdin. “Many of our members expressed this concern and many Canadians made significant withdrawals from credit unions as a result, sometimes in the hundreds of thousands and on a few occasions in the millions of dollars.”
