Canadian Court Ruling on Use of Emergency Powers
In a decision presented by the court yesterday, a federal judge in Canada ruled against the government’s use of emergency powers to freeze assets, including cryptocurrencies and other digital assets during the early 2022 trucker’s protests.
Canada’s Use of Emergencies Act on Crowdfunding and Crypto
The Emergencies Act was invoked by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his government in February 2022 to freeze funds, including crypto donated to truckers protesting COVID-19 restrictions.
The protesters, known as the Freedom Convoy, used trucks to block streets in Ottawa, protesting vaccine mandates at the Canada-United States border.
Challenges to the Government’s Use of the Emergencies Act
The recent court ruling challenged the invocation of the act, stating that it should only be used as a last resort when all other options are unavailable. Various groups, including the Canadian Civil Liberties Association and the Canadian Constitution Foundation, criticized the government’s use of the emergency law. Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland announced that the government plans to appeal the decision.
Conclusion
The trucker protests in 2022 saw a significant role played by cryptocurrency as millions of dollars were estimated to have been received by the protesters through various platforms. The court’s decision emphasizes the misuse of emergency powers and the impact of cryptocurrencies in high-profile social movements.
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