Connect with us

Alberta

Freedom Convoy-inspired border blockade protesters found not guilty of conspiracy to commit murder

Published

5 minute read

From LifeSiteNews

By Clare Marie Merkowsky

“So the most serious charges against all the Coutts accused -charges that kept them in jail without bail, in torturous solitary conditions that possibly violated international law- all failed?”

Two men linked to the 2022 Freedom Convoy-inspired border blockade protest in Coutts, Alberta, Anthony Olienick and Chris Carbert, have been acquitted of charges of conspiracy to commit murder, but not before being jailed and denied bail for over two years.    

On August 2, a jury in Lethbridge, Alberta found that the two men were not guilty of conspiracy to murder, finding them only guilty of the lesser charges of unlawful possession of a firearm for a dangerous purpose and mischief over $5,000. Olienick was also found guilty of unlawful possession of an explosive device.   

“So the most serious charges against all the Coutts accused -charges that kept them in jail without bail, in torturous solitary conditions that possibly violated international law- all failed?” Pro-freedom lawyer Daniel Freiheit questioned on X, formerly known as Twitter. 

“Will the responsible Crown prosecutors be censured or rewarded for this strategy?” he asked.

Both Olienick and Carbert have been jailed since 2022 when, at the same time the Freedom Convoy descended on Ottawa to protest COVID restrictions, they joined an anti-COVID mandate blockade protest at the Alberta-Montana border crossing near Coutts, Alberta. The men were denied bail and kept in solitary confinement for some time before their trial.  

At the time, police said they had discovered a number of firearms, 36,000 rounds of ammunition, and industrial explosives at Olienick’s home. However, the guns were legally obtained, and the ammunition was typical of those used by rural Albertans. Similarly, Olienick explained that the explosives were used for mining gravel.   

Their acquittal is being celebrated by pro-freedom Canadians across the country, with many pointing out that they were being unjustly held as political prisoners similar to those in communist countries.   

“The Coutts Four political prisoners – some of whom spent months in solitary confinement (which is considered a form of torture in most countries) – in Canada say “hello” to their fellow political prisoners in Venezuela,” a citizen journalist pointed out, comparing the situation to the 2014 human rights violations in Venezuela.   

The men were arrested alongside Christopher Lysak and Jerry Morin, and all four were charged with conspiracy to murder. At the time, the “Coutts Four” were painted as dangerous terrorists and their arrest was used as justification for the Emergencies Act, which allowed Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to use draconian measures to end both the Coutts blockade and the much larger Freedom Convoy occurring thousands of kilometers away in Ottawa.  

Under the EA, the Trudeau government froze the bank accounts of Canadians who donated to the protest. Trudeau  revoked the EA on February 23 after the protesters had been cleared out. At the time, seven of Canada’s 10 provinces opposed Trudeau’s use of the EA . 

Recently, Federal Court Justice Richard Mosley ruled that Trudeau was “not justified” in invoking the Emergencies Act.  

Lysak and Morin had already pleaded guilty to lesser crimes of possession of a weapon in an unauthorized place and conspiracy to traffic firearms prior to the August 2 ruling.  

It is important to note that Lysak pleaded guilty despite the fact that he did not attended the protest, and that the gun found by police in his trailer was registered and authorized, according to his lawyer.   

Similarly, Morin’s lawyer Greg Dunn pointed out that “the charge that Mr. Morin pled guilty to does not suggest that Mr. Morin at any time took firearms into Coutts, only that he agreed to.” 

Todayville is a digital media and technology company. We profile unique stories and events in our community. Register and promote your community event for free.

Follow Author

Alberta

Made in Alberta! Province makes it easier to support local products with Buy Local program

Published on

Show your Alberta side. Buy Local.

When the going gets tough, Albertans stick together. That’s why Alberta’s government is launching a new campaign to benefit hard-working Albertans.

Global uncertainty is threatening the livelihoods of hard-working Alberta farmers, ranchers, processors and their families. The ‘Buy Local’ campaign, recently launched by Alberta’s government, encourages consumers to eat, drink and buy local to show our unified support for the province’s agriculture and food industry.

The government’s ‘Buy Local’ campaign encourages consumers to buy products from Alberta’s hard-working farmers, ranchers and food processors that produce safe, nutritious food for Albertans, Canadians and the world.

“It’s time to let these hard-working Albertans know we have their back. Now, more than ever, we need to shop local and buy made-in-Alberta products. The next time you are grocery shopping or go out for dinner or a drink with your friends or family, support local to demonstrate your Alberta pride. We are pleased tariffs don’t impact the ag industry right now and will keep advocating for our ag industry.”

RJ Sigurdson, Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation

Alberta’s government supports consumer choice. We are providing tools to help folks easily identify Alberta- and Canadian-made foods and products. Choosing local products keeps Albertans’ hard-earned dollars in our province. Whether it is farm-fresh vegetables, potatoes, honey, craft beer, frozen food or our world-renowned beef, Alberta has an abundance of fresh foods produced right on our doorstep.

Quick facts

  • This summer, Albertans can support local at more than 150 farmers’ markets across the province and meet the folks who make, bake and grow our food.
  • In March 2023, the Alberta government launched the ‘Made in Alberta’ voluntary food and beverage labelling program to support local agriculture and food sectors.
  • Through direct connections with processors, the program has created the momentum to continue expanding consumer awareness about the ‘Made in Alberta’ label to help shoppers quickly identify foods and beverages produced in our province.
  • Made in Alberta product catalogue website

 

Related information

Continue Reading

Alberta

Province to expand services provided by Alberta Sheriffs: New policing option for municipalities

Published on

Expanding municipal police service options

Proposed amendments would help ensure Alberta’s evolving public safety needs are met while also giving municipalities more options for local policing.

As first announced with the introduction of the Public Safety Statutes Amendment Act, 2024, Alberta’s government is considering creating a new independent agency police service to assume the police-like duties currently performed by Alberta Sheriffs. If passed, Bill 49 would lay additional groundwork for the new police service.

Proposed amendments to the Police Act recognize the unique challenges faced by different communities and seek to empower local governments to adopt strategies that effectively respond to their specific safety concerns, enhancing overall public safety across the province.

If passed, Bill 49 would specify that the new agency would be a Crown corporation with an independent board of directors to oversee its day-to-day operations. The new agency would be operationally independent from the government, consistent with all police services in Alberta. Unlike the Alberta Sheriffs, officers in the new police service would be directly employed by the police service rather than by the government.

“With this bill, we are taking the necessary steps to address the unique public safety concerns in communities across Alberta. As we work towards creating an independent agency police service, we are providing an essential component of Alberta’s police framework for years to come. Our aim is for the new agency is to ensure that Albertans are safe in their communities and receive the best possible service when they need it most.”

Mike Ellis, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Services

Additional amendments would allow municipalities to select the new agency as their local police service once it becomes fully operational and the necessary standards, capacity and frameworks are in place. Alberta’s government is committed to ensuring the new agency works collaboratively with all police services to meet the province’s evolving public safety needs and improve law enforcement response times, particularly in rural communities. While the RCMP would remain the official provincial police service, municipalities would have a new option for their local policing needs.

Once established, the agency would strengthen Alberta’s existing policing model and complement the province’s current police services, which include the RCMP, Indigenous police services and municipal police. It would help fill gaps and ensure law enforcement resources are deployed efficiently across the province.

Related information

Continue Reading

Trending

X