Under the Emergency Act (EA), the Liberal government froze the bank accounts of Canadians who donated to the Freedom Convoy. Trudeau revoked the EA on February 23 after the protesters had been cleared out. At the time, seven of Canada’s 10 provinces opposed Trudeau’s use of the EA.
Since then, Federal Court Justice Richard Mosley ruled that Trudeau was “not justified” in invoking the Emergencies Act, a decision that the federal government is appealing.
Court compels RCMP, TD Bank to hand over records on freezing Convoy supporter’s bank accounts
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Court compels RCMP and TD Bank to hand over records related to freezing of peaceful protestor’s bank accounts
OTTAWA, ON: The Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms announces that a judge of the Ontario Court of Justice has ordered the RCMP and TD Bank to produce records relating to the freezing of Mr. Evan Blackman’s bank accounts during the 2022 Freedom Convoy protest.
Mr. Blackman was arrested in downtown Ottawa on February 18, 2022, during the federal government’s unprecedented use of the Emergencies Act. He was charged with mischief and obstruction, but he was acquitted of these charges at trial in October 2023.
However, the Crown appealed Mr. Blackman’s acquittal in 2024, and a new trial is scheduled to begin on August 14, 2025.
Mr. Blackman is seeking the records concerning the freezing of his bank accounts to support an application under the Charter at his upcoming retrial.
His lawyers plan to argue that the freezing of his bank accounts was a serious violation of his rights, and are asking the court to stay the case accordingly.
“The freezing of Mr. Blackman’s bank accounts was an extreme overreach on the part of the police and the federal government,” says constitutional lawyer Chris Fleury.
“These records will hopefully reveal exactly how and why Mr. Blackman’s accounts were frozen,” he says.
Mr. Blackman agreed, saying, “I’m delighted that we will finally get records that may reveal why my bank accounts were frozen.”
This ruling marks a significant step in what is believed to be the first criminal case in Canada involving a proposed Charter application based on the freezing of personal bank accounts under the Emergencies Act.
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Media inquiries: media@jccf.ca
Judge orders RCMP and TD Bank to release records in Freedom Convoy bank freeze case
Blackman was arrested on February 18, 2022, under the federal government’s invocation of the Emergencies Act, and charged with mischief and obstruction. He was acquitted in October 2023, but the Crown appealed and a new trial is set to begin on August 14, 2025.
Blackman is now seeking access to records detailing how and why his accounts were frozen, to support a Charter application at his retrial. His lawyers argue the freeze was a serious violation of his constitutional rights and plan to ask the court to stay the case.
“The freezing of Mr. Blackman’s bank accounts was an extreme overreach on the part of the police and the federal government,” said Chris Fleury, a constitutional lawyer representing Blackman.
“These records will hopefully reveal exactly how and why Mr. Blackman’s accounts were frozen.”
Blackman welcomed the ruling.
“I'm delighted that we will finally get records that may reveal why my bank accounts were frozen,” he said.
The Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms, which is backing Blackman’s legal challenge, called the ruling a significant development.
It is believed to be the first criminal case in Canada involving a proposed Charter challenge based on the freezing of personal bank accounts under the Emergencies Act.
Court compels RCMP and TD Bank to hand over records related to freezing of peaceful protestor’s bank accounts
The Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms announces that a judge of the Ontario Court of Justice has ordered the RCMP and TD Bank to produce records relating to the freezing of Mr. Evan Blackman’s bank accounts during the 2022 Freedom Convoy protest.
Mr. Blackman was arrested in downtown Ottawa on February 18, 2022, during the federal government’s unprecedented use of the Emergencies Act. He was charged with mischief and obstruction, but he was acquitted of these charges at trial in October 2023.
However, the Crown appealed Mr. Blackman’s acquittal in 2024, and a new trial is scheduled to begin on August 14, 2025.
Mr. Blackman is seeking the records concerning the freezing of his bank accounts to support an application under the Charter at his upcoming retrial.
His lawyers plan to argue that the freezing of his bank accounts was a serious violation of his rights, and are asking the court to stay the case accordingly.
“The freezing of Mr. Blackman’s bank accounts was an extreme overreach on the part of the police and the federal government,” says constitutional lawyer Chris Fleury.
“These records will hopefully reveal exactly how and why Mr. Blackman’s accounts were frozen,” he says.
Mr. Blackman agreed, saying, “I’m delighted that we will finally get records that may reveal why my bank accounts were frozen.”
This ruling marks a significant step in what is believed to be the first criminal case in Canada involving a proposed Charter application based on the freezing of personal bank accounts under the Emergencies Act.
COVID mandates protester in Canada released on bail after over 2 years in jail
The “Coutts Four” were painted as dangerous terrorists and their arrest was used as justification for the invocation of the Emergencies Act by the Trudeau government, which allowed it to use draconian measures to end both the Coutts blockade and the much larger Freedom Convoy
COVID protestor Chris Carbert has been granted bail pending his appeal after spending over two years in prison.
On June 30, Alberta Court of Appeal Justice Jo-Anne Strekaf ordered
the release of Chris Carbert pending his appeal of charges of mischief
and weapons offenses stemming from the Coutts border blockade, which
protested COVID mandates in 2022.
“[Carbert] has demonstrated that there is no substantial likelihood that he will commit a criminal offence or interfere with the administration of justice if released from detention pending the hearing of his appeals,” Strekaf ruled.
“If the applicant and the Crown are able to agree upon a release plan and draft order to propose to the court, that is to be submitted by July 14,” she continued.
Carbert’s appeal is expected to be heard in September. So far, Carbert has spent over two years in prison, when he was charged with conspiracy to commit murder during the protest in Coutts, which ran parallel to but was not officially affiliated with the Freedom Convoy taking place in Ottawa.
Later, he was acquitted of the conspiracy to commit murder charge but still found guilty of the lesser charges of unlawful possession of a firearm for a dangerous purpose and mischief over $5,000.
In September 2024, Chris Carbert was sentenced to six and a half years for his role in the protest. However, he is not expected to serve his full sentence, as he was issued four years of credit for time already served. Carbert is also prohibited from owning firearms for life and required to provide a DNA sample.
Carbert was arrested alongside Anthony Olienick, Christopher Lysak and Jerry Morin, with the latter two pleading guilty to lesser charges to avoid trial. At the time, the “Coutts Four” were painted as dangerous terrorists and their arrest was used as justification for the invocation of the Emergencies Act by the Trudeau government, which allowed it to use draconian measures to end both the Coutts blockade and the much larger Freedom Convoy occurring thousands of kilometers away in Ottawa.
Under the Emergency Act (EA), the Liberal government froze the bank accounts of Canadians who donated to the Freedom Convoy. Trudeau revoked the EA on February 23 after the protesters had been cleared out. At the time, seven of Canada’s 10 provinces opposed Trudeau’s use of the EA.
Since then, Federal Court Justice Richard Mosley ruled that Trudeau was “not justified” in invoking the Emergencies Act, a decision that the federal government is appealing.
Lawyers demand RCMP, TD Bank turn over frozen bank account records
Constitutional lawyers want answers from the RCMP and TD Bank about peaceful Freedom Convoy protester Evan Blackman's frozen accounts.
Constitutional lawyers want answers from the RCMP and TD Bank about peaceful Freedom Convoy protester Evan Blackman's frozen accounts.
Trudeau gov’t use of Emergencies Act ruled ‘not justified,’ violation of Charter rights
OTTAWA, Ontario (LifeSiteNews) — The Canadian Federal Court has announced that the Trudeau government’s use of the Emergencies Act was ‘not justified’ and a violation of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
On January 23, Federal Court Justice Richard Mosley ruled that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was ‘not justified’ in invoking the Emergency Act (EA) to shut down the 2022 Freedom Convoy which protested COVID regulations and vaccine mandates.
“Having found that the infringements of Charter sections 2(b) and 8 were not minimally impairing, I find that they were not justified under section 1,” Mosley wrote.
“I have concluded that the decision to issue the Proclamation does not bear the hallmarks of reasonableness – justification, transparency, and intelligibility – and was not justified in relation to the relevant factual and legal constraints that were required to be taken into consideration.”
According to the ruling, the EA is meant to be reserved as a last resort if all other means fail. It cannot be invoked unless all other measures have been exhausted.
Furthermore, the ruling pointed out that there were other means to end the protest, such as provisions in the Criminal Code, which the province of Alberta had argued at the time.
The decision stated that, in addition to being an unnecessary measure, the EA had violated Canadians’ Charter rights, specifically infringing on freedom of thought, opinion, and expression.
The Freedom Convoy protest took place in early 2022 in Ottawa and featured thousands of Canadians calling for an end to COVID mandates by camping outside Parliament in Ottawa.
In response, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s federal government enacted the EA on February 14, 2022 to shut down the popular movement. The measures included freezing the bank accounts of Canadians who donated to the protest.
Trudeau had disparaged unvaccinated Canadians, saying those opposing his measures were of a “small, fringe minority” who hold “unacceptable views” and do not “represent the views of Canadians who have been there for each other.”
Trudeau revoked the EA on February 23 after the protesters had been cleared out. At the time, seven of Canada’s 10 provinces opposed Trudeau’s use of the EA .
Additionally, several organizations, including the Canadian Civil Liberties Foundation, the CCF, the Canadian Frontline Nurses, four private applicants, lawyers for the Alberta Government, legally challenged Trudeau’s invoking of the measure.
They have now won their case, a decision immediately celebrated by Canadians on social media.
Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre called for Trudeau to be ‘fired.’ He argued that the current Prime Minister “caused the crisis by dividing people. Then he violated Charter rights to illegally suppress citizens.”
“As PM, I will unite our country for freedom,” he promised.
Similarly, Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms lawyer Eva Chipiuk wrote, “This is big! What does it mean for the federal government, elected officials and all those disparaged and defamed protestors, I do not know. But this is big news!”
“Do not be afraid to stand up to your government,” she encouraged. “In fact, it is your job as a citizen in democracy. Your voice matters, don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.”
Additionally, the National Citizens Coalition celebrated the ruling, saying, “Trudeau and Freeland’s Emergencies Act was always ‘unreasonable.’ And of course they violated the Charter. Today’s judicial ruling is a win for all freedom-loving Canadians.”
In response, Liberal Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland announced the Trudeau government disagreed with the ruling and planns to appeal the decision.
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