April 15, 2025 — Canadian feminist writer and activist Meghan Murphy has had her bank account frozen by the Carney Liberal government shortly after her candidacy for the People’s Party of Canada was confirmed for the federal election. Murphy, known for her critiques of gender identity legislation and COVID-19 mandates, disclosed the incident in a blog post dated April 14, 2025. She was set to fly back to Canada to campaign in her former Vancouver East riding.
According to Murphy, she discovered her account at Vancity Credit Union had been frozen without prior notice or explanation. Upon contacting the bank, she was informed that the action was taken under government directive. Attempts to obtain further details from both the bank and government representatives have, so far, been unsuccessful, aggravated by the sudden absence of the Government of Canada worker whose contact information Vancity had given Murphy to obtain information on the freeze.
Murphy, who moved to Mexico in 2021 due to her concerns over the direction of Canada’s political climate, has remained active in Canadian political discussion. Her decision to run for office was motivated by a desire to address issues she believes are being suppressed, particularly in her Vancouver East riding.
The federal government has not issued a public statement regarding the freezing of Murphy’s bank account. The incident has raised questions about the balance between governmental authority and individual rights, especially in the context of political participation. Many are reminded about the Liberal government’s heavy-handed use of this tactic during the Freedom Convoy protests, where hundreds of convoy attendees were left stranded in Ottawa during wintertime when Canada’s major banks froze their accounts at the government’s request. Most people in attendance had come to Ottawa from across Canada to protest the draconian measures the government were imposing as an overreaction to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the account freezes left them in difficult positions both in Ottawa and at home.
Murphy’s supporters view the account freeze as a potential infringement on democratic freedoms which have come under increasing attack since Justin Trudeau was elected Prime Minister in 2015. As the election approaches, the situation underscores ongoing debates about free speech and governmental transparency in Canada, with many concerned Carney may take a more authoritarian approach to governance than his predecessor, given statements he has made prior to the election and in his 2021 book, Values.
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