An unearthed op-ed from February 2022 by Mark Carney provides Canadians with insight into how the new prime minister views the rights of private citizens.
In the wake of the Freedom Convoy protests that gripped Ottawa, Carney, one week into the protests and just before the use of the Emergencies Act by then-Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, made it clear that he was in favor of freezing the bank accounts of Canadians, cutting funding to the protest, and even calling the movement “seditious” without evidence. Carney declared that those who donated to the protest were “funding sedition” and referred to the organizers’ actions as “blatant treachery.”
One has to wonder if it was Carney who came up with the idea to freeze the accounts, as he had served as an advisor to the prime minister at this time.
He described balloon bouncy castles and a grassroots, peaceful movement as “dangerous infrastructure” that was being “reinforced” by those funding the movement.
Carney wrote: “On the first weekend, many Canadians who joined the demonstrations undoubtedly had peaceful objectives. Tired as we all are with unprecedented disruptions over the past two years, it’s understandable that many would want to come to Ottawa to protest. It’s a free country, and everyone should be able to express their opinions free of interference from the state, just as the press should be able to report without fear of harassment or intimidation.
“But now, in its second week, no one should have any doubt. This is sedition. That’s a word I never thought I’d use in Canada. It means 'incitement of resistance to or insurrection against lawful authority.'”
Carney, perhaps drawing on his background in global finance, framed the convoy's actions not as an expression of public dissent but as a direct attack on democracy. By writing, “You are funding sedition,” he bluntly told the public that any support—financial or otherwise—for the protests was an endorsement of an attempt to undermine the authority of a democratically elected government.
What followed was the freezing of bank accounts by the RCMP, in line with the emergency measures enacted by the Trudeau administration to quell the protests. A series of financial institutions, under pressure from government orders, complied by suspending the accounts of anyone linked to the convoy. This move caught the attention of international figures, including podcaster Joe Rogan, who cited it as an example of rights being “lost” in Canada.
“Those who are still helping to extend this occupation must be identified and punished to the full force of the law,” Carney wrote. “Drawing the line means choking off the money that financed this occupation. Again, many Canadians who were amongst the initial donors were likely well-meaning. Perhaps they were unaware of the convoy’s stated objectives, or—like many in positions of authority in Ottawa—they didn’t take them seriously. Perhaps all they wanted was a new COVID-19 policy with fewer restrictions.”
Carney also seemed to make claims without evidence, essentially making stuff up. In his op-ed, he wrote, “Foreign funders of an insurrection interfered in our domestic affairs from the start. Canadian authorities should take every step within the law to identify and thoroughly punish them.” However, GoFundMe president Juan Benitez testified that the vast majority of donors to the Freedom Convoy were Canadians. He confirmed that only about $1.2 million came from outside Canada, with 88 percent of the funds and 86 percent of the donors being Canadian.
Carney writes that Canada functions on peace, order, and good governance. Canadians should be concerned about what Carney considers “good governance,” especially when he appears to have no problem punishing private citizens for donating to a cause they believe in—one that was fighting against overbearing and restrictive government policies that separated families and harshly punished dissenters.
