As Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland tells it, Brian Deese is a hard man to get hold of.
So when U.S. President Joe Biden’s senior economic adviser requested a call with her on Feb. 10 about the ongoing border blockades, Freeland said, she knew the stakes were high.
“That was a dangerous moment for Canada, I felt,” the deputy prime minister testified Thursday before the Emergencies Act inquiry.
“That one conversation was a seminal one for me. And it was a moment when I realized as a country, somehow, we had to find a way to bring this to an end.”
Freeland described the call with Deese in front of the Public Order Emergency Commission Thursday. The commission is reviewing the federal government’s decision to invoke the Emergencies Act on Feb. 14 to clear anti-public health measure protests in Ottawa and deter border blockades.
As part of its work, the commission is probing whether the government met the threshold to trigger the never-before-used legislation.
Tearing up at one point, Freeland defended her government’s actions by arguing economic security is linked to national security.
“I really do believe our security as a country is built on our economic security,” she said.
“And if our economic security is threatened, all of our security is threatened. And I think that’s true for us as a country. And it’s true for individuals.”
Minister of Finance Chrystia Freeland appears as a witness at the Public Order Emergency Commission in Ottawa, on Thursday, Nov 24, 2022. (Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press)
Freeland said that after her call with Deese, director of the U.S. president’s National Economic Council, she knew the blockades had set an “amber light flashing” south of the border regarding supply chain vulnerabilities with Canada.
She said she worried the blockades would tip the balance in favour of Democrats and Republicans who support a protectionist trade stance.
“It wasn’t just the immediate damage, it wasn’t just the immediate harm. It wasn’t, ‘Oh, you know, this plant loses four days of operation,'” Freeland said Thursday.
“The danger was were we in the process, as a country, of doing long-term and possibly irreparable harm to our trading relationship with the United States.”
At various points in early 2022, protesters blockaded border crossings in Windsor, Ont., the small town of Coutts, Alta., Emerson, Man., and the Pacific Highway in Surrey, B.C.
The definition of what constitutes a public order emergency has been studied closely during the public hearings, with critics arguing the government did not meet the requirements of the legislation.
Under the Emergencies Act, a national emergency is defined as one that “arises from threats to the security of Canada that are so serious as to be a national emergency.”
The act then points back to CSIS’s definition of such threats, which include harm caused for the purpose of achieving a “political, religious or ideological objective,” espionage, foreign interference or the intent to overthrow the government by violence. It doesn’t mention economic security.
Last week, Clerk of the Privy Council Janice Charette testified that she took a wider interpretation of the act that included concerns about the economy when she advised Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to invoke the act.
Deputy prime minister explains text discussions with White House official
Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland tells inquiry she and White House director of economy Brian Deese discussed how trade harm caused by the self-described ‘Freedom Convoy’ wouldn’t just be felt temporarily.
The government has not waived solicitor-client privilege on the legal opinion it received about invoking the act.
CEOs warned Canada was seen as a ‘joke’
In a phone call with Canadian bank CEOs, Freeland was told repeatedly that Canada’s international reputation was at risk.
A readout of the Feb. 13 call was entered into evidence Wednesday.
One person on the call, whose name was redacted in the document provided to the commission, said Canada had been labelled a “joke” by American investors.
“I had one investor say, ‘I won’t invest another red cent in your banana republic in Canada,'” the speaker said. “That adds to an already tough investment perspective.”
U.S. incentives on EVs and batteries would have been ‘a disaster’ for Canada, Freeland says
During testimony at the Emergencies Act inquiry, Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland discussed integrated supply chains between Canada and the U.S., saying incentives that encouraged American-built electric vehicles and batteries would have been bad for Canada’s economy.
Another speaker said Canada needed “to show the world proactively that we won’t let this happen again and that our trade corridors will remain open.”
“Canada’s reputation is indeed at risk,” the speaker said.
“We should think about putting the military in place to keep the border crossings moving even after the protesters are removed.”
‘I have to protect Canadians’: Freeland gets emotional in testimony before Emergencies Act inquiry
During her testimony, Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland recalled bankers warning her of the effects the self-described ‘Freedom Convoy’ would have on Canada’s economy.
One speaker, whose name was also blacked-out, expressed concerns about how the government would address the blockades.
“I am very concerned about the banking system being seen as a political weapon of the government,” said the business leader, whose name was also redacted.
“We can’t politicize the banks.”
On Thursday, Freeland choked up as she recalled the warning on the call that Canada’s reputation was at risk.
“I had, at that moment, a very profound duty to Canadians to stand up for them,” she said, her voice cracking.
“I’m surprised that I’m getting emotional … when I heard that, I realised I’m the finance minister, I’m the deputy prime minister, I have to protect Canadians. I have to protect their well-being.”
Freeland feared Canada would be ‘discredited’ as an ally of Ukraine
Later that night, cabinet would meet to discuss invoking the Emergencies Act. Freeland said that between the call with bank officials and the cabinet meeting, she had a meeting to discuss intelligence suggesting Russia intended to invade Ukraine. Russian troops moved in on Feb. 24.
In an interview with commission lawyers in September, Freeland said she feared the protest would affect Canada’s response to the war. A summary of that interview was entered into evidence Thursday.
Office of the Prime Minister staff John Brodhead, Policy Advisor, Katie Telford, Chief of Staff and Brian Clow, Deputy Chief of Staff, appear as witnesses at the Public Order Emergency Commission in Ottawa, on Thursday, Nov 24, 2022. (Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press)
“Freeland also pointed out that if Canada’s capital had still been occupied when Russia invaded Ukraine, in her view, such a situation would have completely discredited Canada as an ally in support of Ukraine,” said the summary document.
“Russian media would have been focused 24/7 on what was occurring in Canada, which would have made Canada appear very weak at a time it needed to be strong. Further, it would have made it very difficult to take action after the invasion.”
Minister faces questions about frozen accounts
Freeland also fielded questions about the decision to give authorities emergency powers to freeze the finances of those connected to the protests.
Data presented to the inquiry last week suggested that approximately 280 bank accounts with approximately $8 million in assets were frozen due to the emergency measures.
Freeland defended the move, saying the government wanted the protests to end peacefully and the economic measures acted as an incentive to leave the protest zones.
“I was sort of saying, ‘We really have to act, something has to be done.’ And I remember a colleague saying to me, ‘My nightmare is blood on the face of a child.’ And I remember that very clearly. Because I was worried about that,” she said.
Last week, Brendan Miller — a lawyer for some of the protest organizers — argued under cross-examination that the order to freeze accounts was an act of overreach and halting fundraising on crowdfunding platforms breached Canadians’ right to freedom of expression.
Three members of Trudeau’s staff were also set to testify Thursday, including his chief of staff Katie Telford. She will be joined by deputy chief of staff Brian Clow and Trudeau’s director of policy John Brodhead.
The three staff members also spoke to commission staff before their appearance and a summary of that conversation was tabled.
“[The staff members] asked the Commission to comment on threats to the economic security of Canada, which carry with them a threat of tangible physical harm and violence,” said the summary.
Trudeau will make his highly-anticipated appearance tomorrow as the commission finishes the public hearing portion of its work.
VANCOUVER – Contract negotiations resume today in Vancouver in a labour dispute that has paralyzed container cargo shipping at British Columbia’s ports since Monday.
The BC Maritime Employers Association and International Longshore and Warehouse Union Local 514 are scheduled to meet for the next three days in mediated talks to try to break a deadlock in negotiations.
The union, which represents more than 700 longshore supervisors at ports, including Vancouver, Prince Rupert and Nanaimo, has been without a contract since March last year.
The latest talks come after employers locked out workers in response to what it said was “strike activity” by union members.
The start of the lockout was then followed by several days of no engagement between the two parties, prompting federal Labour Minister Steven MacKinnon to speak with leaders on both sides, asking them to restart talks.
MacKinnon had said that the talks were “progressing at an insufficient pace, indicating a concerning absence of urgency from the parties involved” — a sentiment echoed by several business groups across Canada.
In a joint letter, more than 100 organizations, including the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, Business Council of Canada and associations representing industries from automotive and fertilizer to retail and mining, urged the government to do whatever it takes to end the work stoppage.
“While we acknowledge efforts to continue with mediation, parties have not been able to come to a negotiated agreement,” the letter says. “So, the federal government must take decisive action, using every tool at its disposal to resolve this dispute and limit the damage caused by this disruption.
“We simply cannot afford to once again put Canadian businesses at risk, which in turn puts Canadian livelihoods at risk.”
In the meantime, the union says it has filed a complaint to the Canada Industrial Relations Board against the employers, alleging the association threatened to pull existing conditions out of the last contract in direct contact with its members.
“The BCMEA is trying to undermine the union by attempting to turn members against its democratically elected leadership and bargaining committee — despite the fact that the BCMEA knows full well we received a 96 per cent mandate to take job action if needed,” union president Frank Morena said in a statement.
The employers have responded by calling the complaint “another meritless claim,” adding the final offer to the union that includes a 19.2 per cent wage increase over a four-year term remains on the table.
“The final offer has been on the table for over a week and represents a fair and balanced proposal for employees, and if accepted would end this dispute,” the employers’ statement says. “The offer does not require any concessions from the union.”
The union says the offer does not address the key issue of staffing requirement at the terminals as the port introduces more automation to cargo loading and unloading, which could potentially require fewer workers to operate than older systems.
The Port of Vancouver is the largest in Canada and has seen a number of labour disruptions, including two instances involving the rail and grain storage sectors earlier this year.
A 13-day strike by another group of workers at the port last year resulted in the disruption of a significant amount of shipping and trade.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 9, 2024.
The Royal Canadian Legion says a new partnership with e-commerce giant Amazon is helping boost its veterans’ fund, and will hopefully expand its donor base in the digital world.
Since the Oct. 25 launch of its Amazon.ca storefront, the legion says it has received nearly 10,000 orders for poppies.
Online shoppers can order lapel poppies on Amazon in exchange for donations or buy items such as “We Remember” lawn signs, Remembrance Day pins and other accessories, with all proceeds going to the legion’s Poppy Trust Fund for Canadian veterans and their families.
Nujma Bond, the legion’s national spokesperson, said the organization sees this move as keeping up with modern purchasing habits.
“As the world around us evolves we have been looking at different ways to distribute poppies and to make it easier for people to access them,” she said in an interview.
“This is definitely a way to reach a wider number of Canadians of all ages. And certainly younger Canadians are much more active on the web, on social media in general, so we’re also engaging in that way.”
Al Plume, a member of a legion branch in Trenton, Ont., said the online store can also help with outreach to veterans who are far from home.
“For veterans that are overseas and are away, (or) can’t get to a store they can order them online, it’s Amazon.” Plume said.
Plume spent 35 years in the military with the Royal Engineers, and retired eight years ago. He said making sure veterans are looked after is his passion.
“I’ve seen the struggles that our veterans have had with Veterans Affairs … and that’s why I got involved, with making sure that the people get to them and help the veterans with their paperwork.”
But the message about the Amazon storefront didn’t appear to reach all of the legion’s locations, with volunteers at Branch 179 on Vancouver’s Commercial Drive saying they hadn’t heard about the online push.
Holly Paddon, the branch’s poppy campaign co-ordinator and bartender, said the Amazon partnership never came up in meetings with other legion volunteers and officials.
“I work at the legion, I work with the Vancouver poppy office and I go to the meetings for the Vancouver poppy campaign — which includes all the legions in Vancouver — and not once has this been mentioned,” she said.
Paddon said the initiative is a great idea, but she would like to have known more about it.
The legion also sells a larger collection of items at poppystore.ca.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 9, 2024.
