Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino says the federal government will be in a position to act should law enforcement detect nefarious financial support of the 鈥淔reedom Convoy.鈥�
His comments come amid speculation that the convoy received American-backed financing as it pursued its occupation of the nation鈥檚 capital in an attempt to convince elected officials to remove all vaccine mandates and other public health restrictions.
American crowdfunding platform GoFundMe, where the convoy鈥檚 more than $10 million were raised, removed the group鈥檚 fundraising page last Friday after stating it violated the platform鈥檚 terms.
鈥淲e now have evidence from law enforcement that the previously peaceful demonstration has become an occupation, with police reports of violence and other unlawful activity,鈥� a statement from GoFundMe reads.
One million dollars had already been released to the organizers of the protests with the intention of being spent on fuel, food, and lodging costs. The rest of the money will be refunded directly to donors.
While information about donors, their location, and their intention remains limited, Ottawa Police Chief Peter Sloly indicated in a press conference last week that there may be U.S. ties.
鈥淲e are now aware of a significant element from the U.S. that have been involved in the funding, the organizing,鈥� he said.
Mendicino said on Monday that Canada has a 鈥渞obust鈥� intelligence community that will flag to the government concerns of national security, as well as a separate branch within the RCMP that looks into these types of issues.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 why I鈥檓 certainly confident that wherever there鈥檚 foul play of the sort, that we鈥檒l be in a position to act appropriately,鈥� said Mendicino.
The public safety minister added that there are laws in place that prohibit anyone from contributing to an initiative that undermines national security.
鈥淚f, for example, someone was contributing with the intent of either causing public harm of trying to undermine public safety, that would be something that would be against the law and there would be appropriate sanctions for that, if proven in the court of law,鈥� he said.
Emergency Preparedness Minister Bill Blair added that it is necessary to cast a light on the sources of funding who are endorsing 鈥渋llegal activity.鈥�
鈥淚 think when [Canadians] understand the source of some of this funding, it helps them understand the motivation of this protest 鈥� who is actually behind it 鈥� and I think it also reveals some of the false nature of claims being made and the positions being put forward,鈥� he said on Monday.
MPs on the House of Commons Public Safety and National Security Committee have called GoFundMe to testify about the funds raised.
鈥淚mportant questions remain about how such a huge sum of money could be raised by anonymous donors and what their motivations were. People are rightly worried about American interference and what sort of standard is applied when donations are accepted,鈥� reads a statement from the NDP鈥檚 public safety critic Alistair MacGregor.
鈥淚t's not enough for GoFundMe to cancel the campaign as though there's nothing to see here.鈥�
Tamara Lich, one of the protest organizers, said in a video last Friday that they are redirecting donations to U.S.- based GiveSendGo, which describes itself as a free, Christian crowdfunding platform.
Co-founders of the platform said in a statement Monday the Freedom Convoy has become GiveSendGo鈥檚 with more than US$4.5 million raised in less than 24 hours.
鈥淚n light of allowing this campaign we have seen an overwhelming outpouring of support from across the globe,鈥� said Heather Wilson.
However, they also make note of recent attempts of 鈥渂ots鈥� seeking to overwhelm their system.
Some U.S. Republicans, including Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, have criticized GoFundMe for its conduct amid the events.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton also tweeted out that 鈥減atriotic Texans鈥� donated to the 鈥�,鈥� and that he has assembled a team to investigate potential fraud.
鈥淭exas donors will get justice! #GoFundMe,鈥� he said.
Responding to these comments, Mendicino said it鈥檚 not the concern of the attorney general as to how Canada operates in accordance with the rule of law.
鈥淲e have rules, we have laws, we have principles, we have values, those are all enshrined in the Charter and where those rules are broken there is an appropriate way to address that through law enforcement,鈥� he said.
Blair simply added: 鈥淲e鈥檙e all entitled to an opinion, and in my opinion he鈥檚 wrong.鈥�
The protests have gained the attention of former U.S. president Donald Trump who released a statement last week applauding the movement.
"The Freedom Convoy is peacefully protesting the harsh policies of far left lunatic Justin Trudeau who has destroyed Canada with insane Covid mandates," Trump said.
Former U.S. Ambassador to Canada Bruce Heyman says while Trump鈥檚 comments are unsurprising, elected U.S. officials shouldn鈥檛 be weighing in.
鈥淭here is no role for a sitting U.S. senator, a congressperson, a governor, a state's attorney general to involve themselves in what is happening in Ottawa today. They shouldn't be a part of this. Specially they're encouraging raising money, this is ridiculous,鈥� he said.
