The risk to Canada’s economic reputation was behind the federal government’s call for an emergency law to deter “freedom convoy” blockades across the country, the deputy prime minister and finance minister repeatedly said. occasions in parliament on Tuesday.
But Chrystia Freeland, the highest-ranking minister who has not yet appeared before the special committee investigating the government’s unprecedented use of emergency powers, would not share specific data that would have been available at the time it was invoked. the Law, which would have shown that the protests were harming the national economy.
“It was clear to me that with each passing hour, our economic reputation with the United States as a reliable trading partner and as a reliable investment destination was damaged,” he said.
Read more: “Freedom Convoy” caught unsuspecting police and institutions, says Ottawa Police Chief
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He noted comments made by Michigan MP Elissa Slotkin in early February, when protesters blocked the key border crossing of the Ambassador Bridge between her state and Ontario, saying the blockades advocated more Buy American policies for end dependence on foreign trade. included with Canada.
“This is very dangerous for Canada, comrades,” Freeland said.
“I was deeply, deeply concerned that these illegal blockades and illegal occupation would provoke a new wave of protectionism and deeply erode our trade relationship with the United States. This was a real economic threat.”
This threat cannot be felt specifically at this time, the minister said, but “in the coming years.”
2:51 Freeland says the Ottawa convoy was a “dying” time for Canadians, the government Freeland says the Ottawa convoy was a “dying” time for Canadians and the government
This did not sit well with some members of the committee, including NPD MP Matthew Green, who pressured Freeland to obtain relevant economic data that would have influenced the decision to invoke the Emergency Act.
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Their exchange became difficult when Freeland disputed Green’s assertion that reputation and “feelings” don’t matter when it comes to the economy, and specifically its impact on government decision-making.
“I’m not talking about pontificate, I’m talking about facts here,” Green said at one point.
“I don’t think he’s pontificating,” Freeland replied. “The economic impact was absolutely, clearly there.”
“That’s not good enough,” Green replied.
Read more: Mendicino was “misunderstood” when he said police called for the Emergency Act: Officer
Some of the economic data Freeland pointed out was released after the last trucks were removed from outside Parliament, including an estimate by Ottawa City Council that the blockade there cost the city at least $ 30 million.
Experts predicted at the time of the blockades that the economic impacts could be felt for months to come, without giving specific figures.
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However, the data showed that blockades on the Ambassador Bridge and at Coutts, Alta., Border crossings had little impact on cross-border trade, with truckers simply diverted to other nearby ports of entry.
While unable to talk about police action and its needs at the time, Freeland said he spoke daily with Canadian business leaders and landlords who were raising concerns about the economic impact of the blockades.
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“These weren’t people who hyperventilate,” he said. “They were people who could really see every day that their business was eroding and therefore the national economy.”
Throughout his appearance, some members of opposition parties accused Freeland of not giving clear answers to the questions, and Green once accused the minister of being “almost despicable”.
6:01 Conservatives continue to criticize Liberals for invoking Emergency Law Conservatives continue to criticize Liberals for invoking Emergency Law
Freeland did speak of the controversial financial measures carried out under the law, which included ordering banks to freeze the accounts of some protesters, as well as those of any donor to the Freedom Convoy movement.
He said any decision to freeze the accounts was taken independently by independent financial institutions without “political direction”, based on information received from law enforcement and internal data.
The government has said more than $ 7.8 million in bank accounts were frozen while the law was in effect. Any affected accounts were thawed once the Act was lifted on February 23rd.
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Freeland told the committee that the RCMP never provided a list of donors to financial institutions to be subject to emergency measures. He later added that the court orders would have taken too long to have the desired effect, which was to cut off the “Freedom Convoy” movement and deter future blockades.
Freeland has repeatedly said that invoking the Emergency Act was a “last resort” for the government to crack down on blockades and give police the necessary powers to withdraw protesters and their vehicles after weeks of inaction.
Read more: Ottawa Acting Police Chief Steve Bell Did Not Ask Federals to Invoke Emergency Laws
“It was an agonizing time, I think, for many Canadians, and it was an agonizing time for all the rulers, because we had to balance some serious things with each other,” he said.
“We didn’t take the Emergency Law lightly. That’s why it took a while.”
Following Freeland’s appearance, Emergency Preparedness Minister Bill Blair told the committee that it took several days for the “Freedom Convoy” movement to rise to the level of a national emergency. his ministry and others to intervene.
He also tried to clarify that the government never received a recommendation from the police to invoke the Emergency Act.
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Marco Mendicino, Blair’s successor as public safety minister, has been criticized for telling the committee that police asked the government to invoke the law, despite RCMP chiefs and Ottawa police saying otherwise.
1:20 Conservatives call for Marco Mendicino’s resignation Conservatives call for Marco Mendicino’s resignation
“(The police) were clearly struggling to affect the legal purpose of restoring law and order in the city of Ottawa, protecting the people of Ottawa, to open these vital trade corridors (in accordance with applicable law).” he said. “I need to understand why.
“One of the considerations that the government must consider before invoking the Act is to ensure that no other Canadian law can be applied to these circumstances. Therefore, I believe it was absolutely essential and appropriate to consult with law enforcement the order “.
Mendicino has used similar language in an attempt to clarify his previous comments, but that has not stopped the Conservatives from calling for his resignation. The Minister has defended his action.
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– with archives of the Canadian press
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