Thread by @HelpAlbertans

Time for follow up on the thread re: La Crete Chamber sending a bus to #Ottawa on February 13 well after it was known the protest was not peaceful or lawful, with plans to meet with their MP @ArnoldViersen

Recap:

https://twitter.com/HelpAlbertans/status/1495515570170908673?s=20&t=9T06fapphIoPKB26i5yFqg

#freedomconvoy22 #RamRanchResistance

Andrew F, who was on the bus, updated the Chamber's posts about their timeline and also the group had a "very good meeting" with MP @ArnoldViersen. This was on Feb. 17, after #Ontario declared a state of emergency and the #EmergenciesAct was in place.

#OttawaOccupation #Ottawa

Their MP wasn't the only "famous face" they met; Barbie H, who appears to also be part of the La Crete Chamber group from her posts on the Mackenzie County Freedom Rally 2022 Facebook Group, is pictured here with #OttawaSiege organizers Danny Bulford and Chris Barber.

#Ottawa

Barbie also posted this letter and in the comments says "we gave one to the lawyers.. if we get any tickets or arrested they will take care of us."
Source: Mackenzie County Freedom Rally 2022 Facebook Group

#OttawaOccupation #FluTruxKlan #ottawa

Philip K also updated people on their journey. He also references that the bus has group leaders but I cannot confirm who that leadership is... But someone did post a group picture of everyone getting ready to leave La Crete.

#OttawaOccupation #ottawa #RamRanchResistance #convoy

Also self-identified on the bus was Lisa Vanderkwaak, a motivational speaker and trainer in public speaking who took many videos while in #Ottawa: facebook.com/lisavanderkwaak

#OttawaConvoy #OttawaOccupation

So where is the bus going next? After being encouraged to head to the planned protest at the #ableg on Tuesday, it seems that one of the bus participants has said the group is planning to attend if they can make it on time.

#OttawaConvoy #abpoli #yeg #alberta

So how was this financed? It seems the group was doing some fundraising and Phillip K had also set up a fundraiser himself on #GoFundMe to support the La Crete trucks already in #Ottawa since the beginning, but it was shut down.

#OttawaOccupation #FluTruckKlan

Philip then moved his fundraising efforts for the group over to #GiveSendGo where twice he posts that he hopes his small fundraiser won't get any attention and get shut down.

Link to fundraiser: givesendgo.com/sendlocals?utm…

#OttawaOccupation #FluTruxKlanGoHome

Philip is also accepting donations via paypal and did have a fundraiser set up for the La Crete residents at the #Coutts border crossing blockage as well... There were also other small fundraisers...

#gofundme #ottawa #OttawaOccupation #RamRanchResistance

There were also other small grassroots efforts for fundraising including a bake sale and auctioning off some artwork.

#ottawa #OttawaOccupation #FluTruxKlanGoHome

As for the bus, I have seen it being referred to as the La Crete Mission bus, but cannot find who actually owns it, operates it or pays for it, although posts suggest that it is obviously sponsored by businesses (logos on the bus) and the Chamber "sent" it to #Ottawa

So who is behind the La Crete Chamber of Commerce account? It very well could be Office Manager Larry Neufeld. When comparing some of his personal (public) facebook posts and the chambers... (see next tweet)

#lacrete #ottawa #OttawaOccupation

I only needed to go back a month, but could have gone back farther, to see the public shares from Larry's personal facebook align quite well with what the La Crete Chamber of Commerce posts on their Facebook...

#ottawa #OttawaOccupation #convoytoottawa2022 #RamRanchResistance

And again...

#ottawa #OttawaOccupation #convoytoottawa2022 #RamRanchResistance #lacrete #abpoli

And again... And this was just the past month. I have never seen a Chamber of Commerce post things like this and like I said before, I am not expert so will await comment from @albertachambers and @CdnChamberofCom

#ottawa #OttawaOccupation #convoytoottawa2022

@albertachambers @CdnChamberofCom The group met with MP @ArnoldViersen in #ottawa as posted above but other support has been noted by elected officials for the #convoytoottawa2022.
Here's @UCPCaucus MLA Dan Williams showing his support for truckers headed out to Ottawa & attending a Convoy event.

MLA Williams also spoke at a convoy event (same event he referenced in previous tweet) on February 5. He said that “we have to pressure Trudeau” and that JT is looking to introduce more measures to pit people against each other.

#OttawaOccupation #lacrete #Ottawa

Williams says he's proud of the 4 individuals that he knows from La Crete that they "are fundraising for today"

Note this was Feb. 5. When it was clear the #OttawaOccupation was unlawful and yet this @UCPCaucus member attended a fundraising event for these people in #Ottawa.

@UCPCaucus And then there is @MackenzieCounty Councillor Lisa Wardley who yesterday encouraged #Ottawa protestors to hold the line and take please that downtown Ottawa is completely shut down.

@ruralma @ABmunis - does this break any code of conduct rules for local government authorities?

@UCPCaucus @MackenzieCounty @RuralMA @ABmunis But she wasn't the only @MackenzieCounty leadership in support of the unlawful #ottawaoccupation as Reeve Josh Knelsen and Councillor Darrell Derksen (who encouraged funding the #Ottawa protests on Feb. 6) have also been very vocal.

#ottawa #FluTruxKlanGoHome

@UCPCaucus @MackenzieCounty @RuralMA @ABmunis Not sure if we can be surprised as residents have privately paid for anti-body testing in this area. And while the County currently has 85 active cases and 55 deaths, many from La Crete believe the pandemic is over and they have natural immunity.
#ottawa #alberta #abpoli #ableg

@UCPCaucus @MackenzieCounty @RuralMA @ABmunis The La Crete Chamber of Commerce has also been pushing natural immunity and Ichor Blood Services was engaged to do anti-body testing by the La Crete Chamber. How is this in the interest of a Chamber of Commerce?

#abpoli #ableg #alberta

Here's the @CBCNews @CBCEdmonton article they referenced as having a spin, despite having an Infectious diseases expert warns results could lead to false sense if security - and more...

cbc.ca/news/canada/ed…

#alberta #abpoli #ableg

@CBCNews @CBCEdmonton And surprise - UCP MLA Dan Williams also met with @JasonCoppingAB and the testing company to present the findings and push natural immuity.

#ucp #alberta #abpoli #ableg

Despite saying the pandemic is over for Mackenzie County, to date they have 85 active cases. There have also been some great pieces written about this area where more than once during #COVID19AB they were among the highest active case rates by population in the province...
#ableg

.@CBCEdmonton from August 2020:
cbc.ca/news/canada/ed…

@ctvedmonton from February 2021:
edmonton.ctvnews.ca/northern-alber…

.@CBCEdmonton from December 2021:
cbc.ca/news/canada/ed…

#COVID19AB #yeg #abpoli #ableg

@CBCEdmonton @ctvedmonton To end off, I'd like to highlight the article written today by the @edmontonjournal's @JunkerAnna who covered @MackenzieCounty's decision to not work with companies that have a vaccine mandate. This could impact integral services from ATCO & AHS
edmontonjournal.com/news/local-new…
#abpoli

@CBCEdmonton @ctvedmonton @edmontonjournal @JunkerAnna @MackenzieCounty Also cc-info
@PaulChampLaw @EvanLSolomon @Justin_Ling
@ConsumerSOS @ShawnMenard1 @MavenOfMayhem
@cmckenney @ARCCollective @global_ottawa @MariekeWalsh @judyatrinh @ctvottawa @MercedesGlobal @JennieVagini
@Noellenarwhal @GlobalEdmonton @CitytvEdmonton @630CHED @TheBreakdownAB

Also cc-info @RachelNotley @albertaNDP @shoffmanAB @ItsDeanBlundell @davecournoyer @duncankinney @strombo @RealTalkRJ @ryanjespersen @KikkiPlanet @HeatherMoAndCo @Mitchell_AB @cspotweet @glen_mcgregor @davidakin @Captaincoby00 @mynamesnotgordy

One more thing... When referencing the #GiveSendGo donor list, there is a Darrell Derksen with a La Crete post code who donated $100 that donated to this unlawful protest. Note there is a @MackenzieCounty Councillor with the same name.

#abpoli #ottawa #OttawaOccupied