A federal blacklist containing personal information about Freedom Convoy supporters was circulated to potentially thousands of financial firms, according to new records uncovered by Blacklock’s Reporter.
Blacklock’s reports that regulators in Ontario distributed the information to between 1,000 and 2,000 brokerages and other firms, with no restrictions placed on further distribution.
The blacklist originated with the RCMP and included names, birth dates, telephone numbers and other personal information. Earlier parliamentary records showed it was distributed by unencrypted email to as many as 50 financial institutions, along with industry organizations and securities regulators.
The list was created after the Trudeau government invoked the Emergencies Act in February 2022. Authorities froze $7.8 million held in 437 bank and credit union accounts and cryptocurrency wallets associated with Freedom Convoy supporters.
The Federal Court of Appeal ruled in January that the government’s invocation of the Emergencies Act was unlawful.
Finance officials have also acknowledged the names on the blacklist were not verified.
“There was no verification,” then-assistant deputy finance minister Isabelle Jacques testified in 2023. “We didn’t do any follow-up.”
The revelations contrast with comments from then-finance minister Chrystia Freeland, who said in 2022 the RCMP had provided financial institutions with information on protest leaders, organizers and people whose trucks participated in blockades.
Blacklock’s previously reported parliamentary records showing the blacklist also went to Canadian operations of foreign financial institutions, including Bank of China, State Bank of India, BNP Paribas, Citibank, Habib Bank, ICICI Bank, Mizuho Financial Group and Wells Fargo.
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