Cashing out

Called the ‘Strong Borders Act,’ and due to be passed this autumn, Bill C-2 will make large cash payments illegal in Canada.

Yup, the roofer dude or that contractor who installed a new bathroom in the basement will not be able to accept anything over ten grand. Staggering payments won’t work, either. If the total amount changing hands over time exceeds $10,000, it will be a criminal act.

The intent is to get tougher on money laundering and financial crime. But some people see this as a slippery slope to total state control of your money, life and liberty. They also see our new prime minister as a vaunted member of the WEF globalist cabal leading society to a ‘great reset’ for which Covid restrictions and mandates were but a tepid rehearsal.

“They envision a darker world where you own nothing, and your every transaction is permissioned by them,” a lost soul in the steerage section posted a couple of days ago. And the rebels point to something Mark Carney wrote in his book: “The most likely future of money is a central bank stablecoin, known as a central bank digital currency or CBDC.”

“We’ve already witnessed the prototype: the vaccine passport. It was a dry run linking identity to permission for movement,” say the opponents. “Those who opted out were excluded. This is the permanent model. The stated goal is global sustainable development. The functional outcome is a system of unparalleled surveillance and behavioral control, where every transaction and movement is tied to a state-approved identity.”

For the record, C-2 makes it a crime for “any person or entity that is engaged in a business, a profession or the solicitation of charitable financial donations from the public to accept a cash payment, donation or deposit of C$10,000 or more in a single transaction or in a prescribed series of related transactions.” The restriction will be across the whole economy, with only banks, trust companies and credit unions exempted.

But this prohibition on wads of cash is just the start, cry the conspiracy crusaders. The real state control apparatus clicks in with the introduction of that central bank-issued digital currency which Carney predicted is inevitable.

This, too, will be coming to Canada. Our guys say so, and they’ve spent almost 15 years preparing – all that is lacking is permission from the government and the legislature.

“A core part of the Bank’s mandate is to provide Canadians with a secure means of payment they can rely on,” says the Bank of Canada. “In an era where commerce becomes ever more digital, the Bank has explored how a digital Canadian dollar could complement bank notes, so Canadians continue to have all the benefits of money issued by the central bank.”

It appears our bankers have identified OpenCBDC 2PC as the digital currency model of choice for the dominion. It was developed along with MIT’s Digital Currency Initiative and would allow citizens to hold digital funds directly, helping address some concerns about loss of privacy and control.

Of course, the WEF-haters and anti-globalist skeptics are having none of it.

“This isn’t about convenience,” says a prominent online critic, “it’s about control. Your money will have an EXPIRY DATE. They can force you to spend it by a certain time, eliminating your ability to save. They will decide what you can BUY. The state could program your digital currency so it cannot be used for “undesirable” things like ammunition, certain foods, or even political donations. It’s a tool for SOCIAL ENGINEERING. Your access to money will be a conduit for enforcing government-approved behavior. It’s the most powerful tool for totalitarian control ever conceived.”

Advocates say digital dollars are just like paper ones. And soon advances in fintech will leave Canada in the dust if we don’t embrace it. “With Canada on the cusp of a new chapter in its monetary history as cryptocurrencies grow in popularity,” says the CD Howe Institute, “the Bank of Canada should issue a central bank digital currency to facilitate the emergence of Canadian dollar stablecoins.

It’s true that a digital currency could have an expiry date coded into it. And, yup, it could be rendered useless if you try to use it purchasing an AR-15, fentanyl gummies or ‘The Life of a Showgirl’. The feds could decide what you own, or not.

But they swear it won’t happen.

“One of the standout features of Canada’s CBDC research is its strong focus on privacy and financial inclusion,” insists the BoC. “The central bank has repeatedly emphasised that any digital currency must support offline transactions, protect user anonymity to a degree similar to cash, and remain accessible to those without smartphones or stable internet access.”

The Bank of Canada also says cash is not going away.

“Despite the rapid rise of fintech, cash is not going anywhere. Every single day, millions of payments are made using bank notes in Canada. And that will continue because cash still has many advantages over other forms of payment. Cash is the most private way to make a transaction and does not require any information to be exchanged. It is accepted by most stores, and it can be used by anyone—no smartphone or credit card required. About one million people in Canada don’t have a bank account, and for them, cash purchases are essential.”

So, get ready. In a Tilly Norwood world, it seems digital currency and Canadian stablecoins are a no-brainer. Maybe C-2’s ban of cash over ten grand will turn into a prohibition at five thousand, or five hundred or, eventually…. zero?

And down the rabbit hole we go.

About the picture: “I’m responding to your recent urgent request for dog pics,” writes Jon. “This is Olive. We adopted her from Puerto Vallarta 9 years ago so she carries the official designation of ‘Mexican street dog’. She spends her days patrolling the backyard interacting with the local wildlife. She tolerates rabbits, hates squirrels and even treed a bear last year.”

To be in touch or send a picture of our beast, email to ‘garth@garth.ca’.

Source: https://www.greaterfool.ca/2025/10/05/cashing-out-2/