Convoy movement organizers testify at Emergencies Act inquiry

Organizers of the convoy movement began testifying today at the public inquiry into the federal government’s use of the Emergencies Act.

There was applause when convoy organizer Chris Barber took the stand today.

A self-proclaimed internet troll, Barber was posting about his anger over covid protocols on TikTok early this year. The 47-year-old owns a trucking company and he testified that in January he was angry over federal mandates that prevented unvaccinated truckers from crossing the border.

“The provincial mandates… the federal mandates, they just keep tossing more on. It seemed like it was an overreach. They just went too far. We lost a lot of drivers, like a tremendous amount of drivers. Our freight was backed up on both sides of the border,” Barber said.

Barber said he was approached on TikTok by another woman with similar views and they started talking about what they could do to protest the mandates.

“We then moved forward with planning. Other people, other members became involved really fast. We realized there was a lot of support behind us. Completely organic, everything just fell into place,” Barber said.

Within two weeks Barber said the convoy was on the move. Thousands of trucks and protesters arrived in downtown Ottawa, where they ultimately blockaded city streets and honked their horns for nearly a month.

Barber was charged with mischief, obstructing police, and counselling others to commit mischief and intimidation. Barber’s trial is next year.

Lawyers for Ontario Premier Doug Ford and then Solicitor General Sylvia Jones argued their case in federal court today in an effort to get the pair out of testifying at the federal Emergencies Act inquiry. They argue the summons should be quashed because they cannot testify due to parliamentary privilege, which provides immunity to sitting politicians.

The inquiry continues tomorrow.