Canada’s Parliament has commenced the debate on Prime Minister Trudeau’s declaration of emergency under Canada’s Emergencies Act. The debate will continue until a confirmation vote is held next Monday under the terms the Act. The National Post is live blogging the thing here.
Canada is now under martial law and looks like it will remain so. The first post on today’s debate — the National Post titles it “Freeland: It is happening” and includes a Twitter video of the statement summarized — gives us a snapshot of the wit and wisdom of the Trudeau government in the person of its deputy prime minister:
Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland says the RCMP has shared the names of individuals, businesses and crypto wallets associated with the protest convoy with banks, and accounts have been frozen.
She is not saying how many accounts have been frozen, citing the ongoing operation and not wanting to jeopardize law enforcement’s work.
Freeland adds those details will be disclosed later.
She says she wants people participating in blockades to know the measures are real, they are having an impact, and there is a really easy way to avoid being affected: go home.
She says it gives her no pleasure to impose these measures, and in fact, the government does so with “great sorrow,” but she says no one should doubt its determination to act to restore peace, order and good government.
The emergency orders require virtually every participant in the Canadian financial system — banks, investment firms, credit unions, loan companies, securities dealers, fundraising platforms and payment and clearing services — to determine whether they possess or control property of a person who is attending an illegal protest or providing supplies to demonstrators.
If they find such a person in their customer list, they must freeze their accounts and report it to the RCMP or Canada’s intelligence service, the regulations say.
“It is happening — I do have the numbers in front of me.” But she declined at a news conference to say how many people or accounts have been caught in the dragnet so far.
By contrast, I offer the wit and wisdom of the Jefferson Airplane’s Marty Balin, circa 1970.
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