Bank Freezes, House Arrest, and the Freedom Convoy with Tamara Lich | Blendr Report EP143

The story Ottawa tried to bury.

For three years, the Freedom Convoy has been framed through press lines, political talking points, and a steady drumbeat of claims that never matched what people on the ground saw. Most Canadians have never heard the story from someone who lived every hour of it. Our latest episode brings that story forward in full: the early days, the media push, the role of police, the banks, the courts, and the toll of a years-long legal fight that shows no sign of letting up.

Tamara Lich joined us for a long, unguarded conversation—one that gives Canadians a clearer view of what happened, what it cost, and what comes next.

A Moment That Changed the Country

Tamara told us she knew something was wrong early in the pandemic. The sudden shutdowns. The tone of the messaging. The pressure to obey rather than question. What pushed her to act wasn’t anger—it was watching friends and loved ones being split from society and told to bear it in silence.

In January 2022, she called a Saskatchewan trucker named Chris Barber after seeing his TikTok. Ten days later, the convoy was rolling toward Ottawa. Ten days to set up GoFundMe pages, logistics, routes, volunteer networks, support lines. Whatever one thinks of the convoy, the speed and scale of it were rare in Canadian life.

But so was the response.

A Narrative Built Before the Trucks Arrived

One of the clearest things from our conversation is this: the story the public heard in 2022 was being shaped before the convoy reached Ottawa.

Government staff texted back and forth about how to “frame” the event. A senior official described the need to model it as a January 6th-type uprising—before a single truck had parked on Wellington Street. News outlets followed the line. And when that proved hard to match with the scenes on the ground, the language sharpened.

Tamara didn’t see most of that firsthand. She was in rooms trying to deal with GoFundMe freezes, GiveSendGo transfers, police calls, and the daily grind of helping thousands of people with food, fuel, or simple direction. Yet above her, a narrative was already being welded into place.

Banks, Police, and the Power Few Canadians Ever See

One of the most revealing parts of our interview is Tamara’s account of how the banking system and police handled the protest.

Handwritten notes from a call between bank CEOs and then-finance minister Chrystia Freeland show executives urging the government to label convoy organizers as “terrorists” to give banks legal cover to freeze assets. More than 200 Canadians had their accounts frozen—including a single mother who donated ten dollars.

We discuss what those notes say, what they imply, and what it means when the country’s financial sector can push for political labels behind closed doors.

We also talk about the police. The differing orders. The internal confusion. The moments where negotiation broke down because the public line and the behind-the-scenes directives didn’t match.

Watch the Full Episode

This interview isn’t about relitigating the convoy. It’s about giving Canadians a rare, unfiltered look into one of the most consequential events of our time—told by someone who lived all of it and paid a steep price for doing so.

The Blendr Report EP143 on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or Rumble.