The federal government is defending invoking the Emergencies Act to deal with illegal blockades across the country.
The deputy prime minister said Canada’s economy and democracy are facing a serious and foreign-funded threat.
Chrystia Freeland said there are consequences for those who take part in these illegal activities.
“If your truck is being used in these protests, your bank account will be frozen and your insurance will be suspended,” she noted during a virtual news conference on Friday afternoon.
Freeland added the illegal blockades and occupations cannot be allowed to usurp the authority of democratically-elected governments.
She conceded that when this crisis is over, all Canadians are going to need to work hard to heal our country.
Justice minister David Lametti said this is an emergency and all you need to do is ask Canadians in Ottawa or in Windsor and others being impacted by border closures.
“As we saw in Coutts, Alberta and other places across the country, some of those involved are alleged to have had much more sinister motives than simply opposing vaccine mandates.”
In places where blockades have been cleared, Lametti noted there have already been attempts to re-establish them.
Police began making arrests and towing away vehicles in Ottawa on Friday in an attempt to stop the lengthy demonstration of protestors opposed to vaccine mandates.
Several organizers of the original truckers convoy including Tamara Lich, Chris Barber and Pat King have been taken into custody.
