[adriand]

Banks were instructed to unfreeze accounts on Monday, Feb 21 (https://www.wsj.com/articles/canada-instructs-banks-to-unfre...). The Emergencies Act that kicked off the account freezes was enacted a week earlier, on Monday, Feb 15. If you were involved in an illegal blockade/occupation, would you honestly choose being arrested and charged with one or more crimes and run the risk of a prison sentence/criminal record, over having your bank account frozen for a week?

[s1artibartfast]

Yes, I think the truckers should be charged for their crimes. No, I don't think their assets should be frozen without an court process.

This is because don't support extra judicial asset seizure as a valid policing tool.

You posed your question as an either/or, but I haven't seen any pardon claim that the truckers will never be charged (not that it would Change my position)

Using a legal system to enforce laws is the line that separates legitimate governments from racketeers. I believe that it should not be crossed outside of active warzones.

Separating people from their money is an extremely powerful tool. People capitulate quickly if you threaten to starve their family and children. It should never be used simply because you don't want to go to the effort of charging someone with a crime and arresting them.