Three men accused of taking part in a protest blockade at the Canada-United States border crossing at Coutts, Alta., appeared in court Monday as a judge heard frustrations over hearing their case.
Marco Van Huigenbos, 32, and Alex Van Herk, 53, both of Fort Macleod, Alta., are charged along with George Janzen, 43, of Taber, Alta., over $5,000.
RCMP allege the men were key participants in the blockade, which began in late January and lasted nearly three weeks.
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Coutts Mayor says RCMP were caught off guard by blockade despite warnings
The accused would be formally arrested and trial dates would be set. Delays in finalizing lawyers and obtaining evidence led to the case being transferred to January 9.
“Absolute disappointment in the justice system that essentially likes to play games is how I see it. It’s broken, but it was expected,” Van Huigenbos, a city councilor in Fort Macleod, told reporters after the appearance outside the court.
“It hangs over our heads.
“I have a family. I have a business and it affects others who are not involved in this. The frustration is of course the bigger picture here.”
Van Huigenbos and Van Herk said they want to know why they are being charged with wrongdoing and not with an offense under Alberta’s Critical Infrastructure Defense Act.
Van Herk tried to address Judge Johnna Kubik, Court of King’s Bench.
“You are represented by a lawyer, so you cannot make any speeches in front of me. You will talk to your counselor about those things,” she said.
Van Herk said outside the court that he wanted an explanation as to why the group was charged with disorderly conduct.
“I did it politely and I asked the judge for an explanation. I’m just, I guess, a naive farmer. I’m not in the legal system everyday and I don’t know everything about it,” he said.
“I’m trying to understand why they’re charging us the way they are.
“I felt why couldn’t we have the opportunity to just speak directly to the judge, explain the situation and say why are we wasting our time here?”
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The three men chose to be tried before a judge and jury.
A trial before a judge and jury is scheduled for June next year for four other men charged with conspiracy to commit murder during the blockade.
Chris Carbert, Chris Lysak, Anthony Olienick and Jerry Morin were charged in February after RCMP found a cache of guns, body armor and ammunition in trailers at the protest near Coutts.
© 2022 The Canadian Press
