The Hon. the Speaker: Order, please. Senator Wells, you asked your question. The minister is answering. If you do not like your answer, you can take it up with the minister afterwards.

One of those powers allowed the RCMP, in conjunction with financial institutions, to seize assets, but it was for the purposes of restoring public safety, which we were able to do with the least amount of force, the least amount of injuries and certainly no fatalities. I think that is something we should be grateful for given the challenge of the situation.

I know that since we’ve revoked the Emergencies Act that the RCMP and financial institutions have been taking steps to appropriately render those accounts that were frozen and —

Hon. Marco E. L. Mendicino, P.C., M.P., Minister of Public Safety: Thank you very much for the question, senator. I would begin by underlining that the illegal occupation that took place here in Ottawa, as well as the blockades that occurred at a number of our ports of entry in British Columbia, Manitoba and various ports of entry here in Ontario, presented a grave and serious threat to our security. It had a significant impact on our economy. Many Canadians were idled in their employment as a result of it. That is why we had to invoke the Emergencies Act, which included among its targeted powers the —