Share on facebook
Share on twitter
Share on linkedin
Share on telegram
Share on whatsapp

Court freezes Trucker’s fund as U.S. Urges Canada to Use Federal Powers to “End” Bridge Blockade

U.S. Urges Canada to Use Federal Powers to “End” Bridge Blockade of Truckers Protesting Against COVID-19 Restrictions

The Biden administration urged Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government Thursday (Feb. 10) to use its federal powers to end the truck blockade by Canadians protesting the country’s COVID-19 restrictions, as the bumper-to-bumper demonstration forced auto plants on both sides of the border to shut down or scale back production.

For the fourth straight day, scores of truckers taking part in what they dubbed the Freedom Convoy blocked the Ambassador Bridge connecting Windsor, Ontario, to Detroit, disrupting the flow of auto parts and other products between the two countries.

With political and economic pressure mounting, Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens announced the city will seek a court injunction to end the occupation. “The economic harm is not sustainable and it must come to an end,” he said.

Meanwhile, the U.S. braced for the possibility of similar truck-borne protests inspired by the Canadians, and authorities in Paris and Belgium banned road blockades to head off disruptions there, too.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security said in a bulletin to local and state law enforcement agencies that it has received reports that truckers are planning to “potentially block roads in major metropolitan cities” in a protest against COVID-19 vaccine mandates and other issues.

Ontario court freezes access to GiveSendGo donations for truckers’ protest

Share on WhatsAppImages are unavailable offline.

A demonstrator screams and bangs gas canisters together as truckers and supporters continue to protest COVID-19 vaccine mandates, in Ottawa, on Feb. 10, 2022.

BLAIR GABLE/REUTERS

The Ontario government says it has successfully petitioned a court to freeze access to millions of dollars donated through online fundraising platform GiveSendGo to the convoy protesting COVID-19 restrictions in Ottawa and at several border crossings.

The province obtained an order from the Superior Court of Justice that prohibits anyone from distributing donations made through the website’s “Freedom Convoy 2022″ and “Adopt-a-Trucker” campaign pages, said a spokeswoman for Premier Doug Ford.

Ivana Yelich said the order binding “any and all parties with possession or control over these donations” was issued Thursday afternoon. She cited a section of the Criminal Code that allows the attorney general to apply for a restraint order against any “offence-related property.”

STORY CONTINUES BELOW ADVERTISEMENT

Hundreds of semi-trucks rolled into downtown Ottawa two weeks ago to protest COVID-19 vaccine mandates and health restrictions and now trucks are also blockading border crossings in Alberta, Manitoba and Ontario.

Donors initially raised more than $10-million through GoFundMe, which announced last Friday it was pulling the plug on the campaign and that the money would be refunded. The site said it initially believed the demonstration was going to be peaceful, but withdrew its support after police and local leaders raised concerns it had become an “occupation.”

Convoy organizers quickly set up new campaigns on Christian fundraising site GiveSendGo. As of Thursday, “Freedom Convoy 2022″ had raised $US8.4-million and “Adopt-a-Trucker” had amassed more than $686,000.

The crowdfunding site did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Organizers have also touted the cryptocurrency Bitcoin as another way to generate funds for protesters and avoid other potential fundraising shutdowns, including during a news conference that was livestreamed to supporters on Wednesday.

Ontario’s move to freeze access to the donations comes the same day as an all-party House of Commons committee of MPs heard testimony from deputy directors of Canada’s financial intelligence hub about how it doesn’t cover crowdfunding sites like GoFundMe.

Fintrac has a mandate to identify money linked to terrorist financing and money laundering from reports it receives each year from entities including banks, insurance companies, money service businesses and casinos.

STORY CONTINUES BELOW ADVERTISEMENT

It doesn’t investigate potential crimes or stop money from flowing, but passes its intelligence onto police.

Fintrac deputy director Barry MacKillop testified that it doesn’t regulate crowdfunding sites like GoFundMe and so wouldn’t receive from it reports of suspicious transactions.

The payment services that users rely on to send money to crowdfunding campaigns, like PayPal, and the banks that in turn deposit the cash do fall under is reporting requirements, the MPs heard.

“The intersection with the crowdfunding platforms and our financial institutions is a must in order to disperse the money,” he said.

“If the money were going through a Canadian bank, for example, and directed to the Proud Boys – they’re a listed terrorist organization. That money would be stopped by the bank.”

Annette Ryan, another deputy director at Fintrac, testified this gives them a line of sight into the crowdfunding sector.

At the outset, MacKillop said Fintrac doesn’t discuss intelligence disclosures made to police. But when it comes to the protest unfolding in Ottawa, he said there hasn’t been an upswing in suspicious transactions being reported.

“We have not seen a spike,” he said.

Among one of the questions MPs had about the millions being generated for protesters through crowdfunding sites was the appearance funds were being sent anonymously.

MacKillop says while the public may not get to see who is making donations, that doesn’t make them anonymous.

He pointed out donors must use credit cards to send money and the fact that GoFundMe offered up refunds after it shut down the protesters’ campaign demonstrates it has the information it needs to identify an individual.

Earlier Thursday, NDP MP Alistair MacGregor announced the committee would hear directly from representatives from GoFundMe about what measures it has in place to prevent the funding of extremism.

MacGregor brought forward the motion and said they will appear March 3.

    Joe Biden: Pandemic is Over

    Joe Biden during an interview on 60Minutes says he believes the COVID pandemic is Over. 850 more unvaxxed NYC teachers, aides fired for not complying

    Lockdowns Harms Impossible to Cover Up

    “According to a recent study by the World Bank, published in the journal Nature, lockdowns and the response to Covid-19 have pushed an additional 75

    Contagious Vaccines: A Warning

    Brownstone Institute – For two decades scientists have been quietly developing self-spreading contagious vaccines. The NIH funded this research, in which either DNA from a deadly

    VAERS Reports as of 6/10/2022 Release

    28,859 Deaths where Vaccine is COVID19 1,301,356 Adverse Events where Vaccine is COVID19 Search Vaccine Reactions Using MedAlertsA Powerful VAERS Database Search Engine hosted by

    0
    Would love your thoughts, please comment.x
    ()
    x

    Get in Touch!

    Purpose of your Contact
    Where can i reach you?
    What would you like to discuss?
    [crypto-donation-box]

    Are you intending to visit the Lorphic marketing agency?