As for whether the Emergencies Act is over-reaching, I disagree. We're not talking about a lawful protest here. We're talking about a well-funded occupation of public lands with an indefinite duration to the demonstration. Where those funds came from is going to be really interesting to the courts, as we've seen in the bail hearings today, because if they came from foreign powers with the intent to disrupt economic or democratic processes in Canada -- that definitely pushes the needle away from peaceful protest and towards occupation.
I think people implying that this now gives the government the ability to put down protests by freezing everyone's accounts is misinformed. The Emergencies Act still requires any government action to be bound by the Charter of Rights and Freedoms in Canada -- everyone arrested is getting their day in court, those who are not directly involved in the occupation will eventually get access to their funds again, I'm sure. It also require co-operation from different levels of government. It gives the government extra powers to deal with unprecedented circumstances which is exactly what has been happening in Canada.
It was a very targeted response and the most infuriatingly peaceful ones I've seen. Everyone involved in this occupation was given more opportunities to leave than I've seen given to actual, legal protestors in similar demonstrations. The key story seems to be that there was no intention to ever disperse and leave. And the folks organizing this occupation were encouraging more people to stay and were accepting funding to help ensure they could stay.
Is getting your account frozen devastating? Absolutely. No question. Was it the right response for the government to freeze the accounts of people supporting this occupation? Absolutely. Violence wasn't going to solve this and would incite more violence. Most people who donated a few bucks to their fundraising drives will get a shock and life will go back to normal. It's the people who funded this occupation that the authorities are after and it will come to light soon I'm sure.
Cash hasn't gone anywhere yet either. Merchants in Canada are still legally required to accept it and ought to -- I can agree with that.
I think people implying that this now gives the government the ability to put down protests by freezing everyone's accounts is misinformed. The Emergencies Act still requires any government action to be bound by the Charter of Rights and Freedoms in Canada -- everyone arrested is getting their day in court, those who are not directly involved in the occupation will eventually get access to their funds again, I'm sure. It also require co-operation from different levels of government. It gives the government extra powers to deal with unprecedented circumstances which is exactly what has been happening in Canada.
It was a very targeted response and the most infuriatingly peaceful ones I've seen. Everyone involved in this occupation was given more opportunities to leave than I've seen given to actual, legal protestors in similar demonstrations. The key story seems to be that there was no intention to ever disperse and leave. And the folks organizing this occupation were encouraging more people to stay and were accepting funding to help ensure they could stay.
Is getting your account frozen devastating? Absolutely. No question. Was it the right response for the government to freeze the accounts of people supporting this occupation? Absolutely. Violence wasn't going to solve this and would incite more violence. Most people who donated a few bucks to their fundraising drives will get a shock and life will go back to normal. It's the people who funded this occupation that the authorities are after and it will come to light soon I'm sure.
Cash hasn't gone anywhere yet either. Merchants in Canada are still legally required to accept it and ought to -- I can agree with that.