Social media post from B.C. politician claims single mom's bank account was frozen over convoy donation

A B.C. politician vowed to keep fighting for a “single mom from Chilliwack” who allegedly had her bank account frozen for donating $50 to the truck convoy.

Chilliwack-Hope MP Mark Strahl posted his message about the mother on Twitter Sunday, and his post has since been shared thousands of times by people who are appalled, and by those who are skeptical about its details.

“Briane is a single mom from Chilliwack working a minimum wage job. She gave $50 to the convoy when it was 100% legal,” he wrote in his tweet. “Her bank account has now been frozen. This is who Justin Trudeau is actually targeting with his Emergencies Act orders.”

But when pressed by other Twitter users for more details and verification of the facts, Strahl refused to give any further information.

“To those of you, especially the media, demanding more details on Briane, having seen what has been said about her online today and what has been done to other convoy donors in the last weeks I am not going to help you dox her," he wrote, using a term for publishing private or identifying information online with malicious intent.

The RCMP said Monday account-freezing powers under the Emergencies Act do not affect individual donors.

“At no time, did we provide a list of donors to financial institutions,” Mounties wrote in a statement.

Strahl was unavailable for an interview Monday.

At a news conference in Ottawa, the federal finance minister appeared doubtful about Strahl’s claim.

“It’s important for all of us to be very, very careful, to get our facts exactly right,” said Chrystia Freeland in reference to the act. “The focus absolutely has been on leaders, and on the vehicles that were such an important part of the illegal blockades and occupations. That has been the only focus of law enforcement.”

Under the Bank Act (not to be confused with the Emergencies Act), accounts can be frozen for many reasons, like suspicious activity, fraud, or unpaid debts or taxes.