Deputy finance minister says protests came at ‘delicate time’ for Canada’s economyOTTAWA — Canada's economy was already facing uncertainty when protests against COVID-19 restrictions blockaded border crossings and occupied downtown Ottawa last winter, the Department of Finance's top civil servant told an inquiry Thursday. Michael Sabia, the deputy minister of finance, said the "Freedom Convoy" protests that began in late January came at a "very, very fragile moment" due to lingering effects from the COVID-19 pandemic and shifting dynamics in global trade. He also said finance officials feared there would be lasting consequences for the economy, particularly on the automotive industry, if protests went on for too long. Finance briefings prepared during the protest and submitted into evidence at the inquiry say Canada's reputation as a reliable economic partner for the U.S. "may be in jeopardy." The Department of Finance has not produced an assessment of the economic impacts of the blockades, but assistant deputy minister Rhys Mendes told the inquiry there was no direct, long-term impact on Canada's economy.

Source: CBC News November 17, 2022 15:54 UTC