When the evacuation flights for Morocco took place, they announced that it was a regular commercial flight - all the Canadian government really did was arrange for permission to use the airport/airspace. If that is a similar case to this, I think that pax probably bought tickets using the "rescue" fare basis directly from Air Canada, in which case regular processes for eUpgrades, paid business class, or Op Up would apply.
Unless like
Fiordland mentioned they are blocking J for an emergency/relief area.