Dozens of financial accounts have been frozen since the federal government invoked the Emergencies Act, Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino said. “At least 76” financial accounts have been frozen, which represents $3.2 million, associated with the ongoing protest in Ottawa opposing the federal government’s COVID-19 mandates and restrictions, Mendicino said in a virtual press conference on Feb. 19. On Feb. 14, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau invoked the Emergencies Act to give authorities sweeping additional powers to tackle the protesters encamped in Ottawa’s downtown core. Several financial measures were also brought in to reduce funding for the protests, such as allowing banks to freeze accounts of individuals or corporations involved in the protests. The federal government also broadened the anti-money laundering mechanisms to require crowdfunding platforms to register with the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada (FINTRAC). “Additionally, FINTRAC’s pre-registration process is ongoing and it is working with small- and …
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