By Sheldon Spackman

Convoy to Ottawa set to roll despite confusion, controversy

Jan 30, 2019 | 2:17 PM

Despite controversy, confusion and even a name change a convoy from Red Deer to Ottawa in support of the oil and gas industry is still a go.

What began as the Yellow Vest (Official) Convoy to Ottawa has been renamed the United We Roll, Official Convoy for Canada.

Organizer Glen Carritt of Innisfail says their goal behind the event remains the same.

“We decided to move on our own so we could represent all of Canada, including Yellow Vest,” Carritt explains.

“We didn’t want to be discriminating against anybody. We want to make sure we’ve got farmers on board, ranchers, anybody that has a history with the current government. Everyone is coming out to express their disappointment with our current government.”

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Carritt says a few hundred trucks have registered for the convoy with others expected to join in from B.C., Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario and Quebec.

However, CJ Clayton, the convoy’s original organizer and spokesperson for the Yellow Vest Convoy to Ottawa group, says there are issues with the current plans for the convoy.

“We had all the permits and everything all set up, the Hill Security, the OPP, everything to keep it peaceful,” explains Clayton. “Then a lot of in-fighting suddenly got started and a second Go Fund Me account set up and that caused a lot of confusion. Then all of a sudden we’re getting refund requests.”

“It does create some confusion but we’ve got a couple weeks here to get things back on track and the new name has actually sparked a lot of new interest,” acknowledges Carritt, who says the split from the original group was due to a ‘complete lack of professionalism’.

“We’re going to have a peaceful, respectful protest to demonstrate and let our current government know exactly what we’re not happy with which is the continued procrastination on pipelines,” Carritt says.

Clayton still hopes the convoy is a success.

“We have to stand behind Glen’s decision to start a different group. We understand it creates division but let’s just get trucks sent to Ottawa. If we don’t stand behind Glen and get this convoy off the ground, then who wins? (It’s) the lawyers and the Liberals.”

Carritt says more than $38,000 collected through the original Go Fund Me page is now sitting in escrow, with the new Go Fund Me page having raised $35,000 and counting.

“I do have some major sponsorships that hopefully I can announce next week,” Carritt notes. “We appreciate full support of everybody. I’ve been the one managing this convoy and leading this convoy from the start, I’ve done all the leg work et cetera and it will continue to roll in combination with Facebook and outside in the industrial world.”

The convoy will leave Gord’s Car Wash at Edgar Industrial Park in Red Deer at 8:00 a.m. on Valentine’s Day and travel the QE2 to Calgary and Trans-Canada Highway to Regina for its first stop. Three more rstops are also planned for communities in Ontario before arriving at Parliament Hill on Feb. 19.

“I’m very confident our message will be heard,” states Carritt. “If it’s not heard, then that just tells us that we have a disconnect with our current government. They need to start listening to the people.”

A separate convoy to Ottawa planned by Rally 4 Resources and Canada Action was cancelled due to “unexpected challenges,” according to organizers.