Locals in Bonnyville show support for pipeline convoy at Parliament Hill

As the “United We Roll” pro-pipeline/Yellow Vest convoy from Alberta arrived at Parliament Hill Tuesday morning, a small group of locals showed their support from home.

Cassandra Harvie says her husband, Jack Graham, is in Ottawa right now with the convoy and is standing with the protestors here in Bonnyville. She says she helped organize the original Yellow Vest protest on Dec. 22. 

“We support them from afar and do what we can. My husband is in Ottawa right now and at the Hill, and his parents as well, we just wanted to come here and show our support,” said Harvie.

From 9:30am-2pm protestors from across the country gathered at Parliament Hill voicing their concerns about the carbon tax, lack of pipeline construction, and Bill C-69 and Bill 48, which they say could hurt any future pipeline project.

But Harvie says it’s been an emotional experience for her husband Jack throughout the journey east.

“As soon as they get to places to show support it gets very emotional to see all the support is showing through. They get honks, they get waves, baked goods…yesterday and throughout the last four or five days they’ve been traveling, they’ve been getting more emotional along the way. They were in tears, his mom was in tears.”

Harvie started getting involved with the moment after he husband began researching the “problems happening in Canada right now” and wanted to take action.

“We took five days and organized the rally in Bonnyville and started realizing the importance on continuing these rallies….Jack Graham, his dad Ian Graham and his mom Roberta Graham and I hit the pavement, put up the posters, got the support, and did the rally in Bonnyville and that went really well,” said Harvie.

She says that ANTIFA, an anti-fascism group, is giving them troubles along the way.

“We are a peaceful movement and we’re not racist at all. We want people to come to Canada…just in an orderly manner,” said Harvie.

Reeve Greg Sawchuk

Last week on Lakeland Connect’s The Morning After with Reeve Greg Sawchuk, he said he likes to see citizens getting vocal about these oil-related issues.

“These people are invested in driving down to Ottawa, they’re doing exactly that, so we’re getting their voices out there and hopefully it will be well-received. Hopefully the splinter groups don’t put a stain on it because I do think they have a good message,” said Sawchuk.