This represents political retaliation against a lawyer who challenged government overreach during the Freedom Convoy, with RBC using vague "risk appetite" language to mask ideological discrimination. The timing following legitimate Bitcoin purchases suggests coordinated suppression of dissenting voices, continuing the pattern established during the unlawful Emergencies Act when banks froze accounts without due process.
Banks have legitimate authority to terminate customer relationships when transactions fall outside their risk tolerance, particularly involving cryptocurrency which poses fraud and money laundering concerns. RBC provided proper notice and followed standard procedures for account closure, giving Chipiuk reasonable time to transition to another institution. The bank's questions about her crypto activities were likely routine fraud prevention measures, not political targeting.