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There is absolutely NO good reason to keep these men behind bars and they will be acquitted because the whole case is BS. SUPER convenient that no one can comment because "it's before the courts" and why the publication ban? Like Tamara Lich and Chris Barber's "trial" that is still dragging on for mischief, they are playing games with Canadians lives and it's unconscionable.
Bail Denied a Second Time for ‘Coutts Four’ Member Chris Carbert
Matthew Horwood
By Matthew Horwood
1/16/2024
Chris Carbert, one of the four men charged in connection with the 2022 border blockade at Coutts, Alta., was denied bail at a hearing on Jan. 15. The four men have been in jail for 703 days under pre-trial detention.
It is the second time that Mr. Carbert’s request for bail has been denied, with the first request being denied back in May 2022. The reasons for the judge’s decisions are protected by a publication ban, but the Crown previously indicated it planned to try the four men together.
Mr. Carbert, Christopher Lysak, Jerry Morin, and Anthony Olienick are accused of conspiring to kill police officers and were charged with conspiracy to commit murder in connection with the Coutts border blockade formed in solidarity with the Freedom Convoy protest against COVID-19 vaccine mandates and pandemic-related restrictions.
The four men were among 11 people arrested in February of that year after RCMP found firearms, ammunition, and body armour in three trailers located near Coutts. Mr. Olienick was also charged with making or possessing an explosive device.
Shortly after the RCMP’s arrest, peaceful convoy demonstrators abandoned the Coutts protest site, saying they wanted to ensure they didn’t get associated with the alleged perpetrators.
While a trial for the four men was set for June 2023, pre-trial applications by their lawyers delayed the proceedings until Dec. 11 in a bid to have the trial moved to a different venue. Mr. Olienick parted ways with his lawyer Tonni Roulston in December 2023, with his family confirming on Jan. 8 that he would represent himself in court.
The three other accused are set to stand trial from April 2 to April 19, 2024.
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“I’m hopeful that going forward, more positive things will come out of all of this because eventually the truth will come out. I can’t even imagine what my son’s going through right now. He was very hopeful that he would be out today,” said Mr. Carbert’s mother Betty Carbert in an interview with Media Bezirgan following the ruling.
Legal Concerns
Some members of law enforcement and legal experts have raised concerns about the four men being denied bail, suggesting that the criminal case has been “politically influenced.” Donald Best, a former sergeant with the Toronto Police Service, told The Epoch Times that Canadians arrested for crimes like robbery and attempted murder are regularly given bail.
James Kitchen, chief litigator for Liberty Coalition Canada, told The Epoch Times that bail should not be denied for any longer than “absolutely necessary” as it is “one of the worst violations of liberty and it’s tyrannical to keep people for a long period of time without a really good reason.”
Under Canadian law, any person accused of a crime is presumed innocent until he or she is proven guilty of the crime, and the accused has the right to bail unless there is a compelling reason to keep them in custody.
According to the Criminal Code bail may be denied in cases where detention is necessary to ensure attendance in court or necessary for public safety, “considering any substantial likelihood of reoffending upon release;” or is necessary to maintain confidence in the administration of justice, considering the “apparent strength of the prosecution’s case, the gravity of the offence, the circumstances surrounding its commission, and the potential for a lengthy prison term.”
The Alberta RCMP has told The Epoch Times they would not comment on the case, as it is still before the courts.
More good points re separation.
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Hon. Jay Hill is a former Conservative MP and cabinet minister
A few days ago, I had a discussion with a widely respected western businessman, and good friend, about the current independence movement in Alberta and Saskatchewan. I was intrigued by his thoughts about how we might advance the goal of greater western autonomy at this time in our history.
We agreed that, despite the gallant efforts of many, for far too many years, the flame for fairness has been repeatedly ignored and snuffed out, again and again. The harsh reality is, if an insufficient number of westerners don’t take the issue of independence seriously, why should eastern Canadians?
Unsurprisingly my savvy friend raised a couple of points during our conversation that I have been gnawing on since. The first was nothing new, although for at least two reasons it has become more time sensitive.
First is the disastrous state of Canada and the fact that the federal Liberal government continues to chart a ...
DS is setting the table for successful Alberta Independence. She just needs the new mandate from a Yes Independent Alberta referendum to follow through.
Canada Can't Be Fixed. Alberta Needs to Chart Its Own Course
JEFFREY RATH:
Friends, I’ve said it before and I’ll keep saying it. Alberta’s future does not lie within a broken, dysfunctional Canada. It lies in our own hands, building an independent Alberta, run by Albertans, for Albertans.
I had the privilege of addressing a room full of hardworking, freedom-loving Albertans recently. If you missed it, I want you to hear exactly what I told them. The stakes couldn’t be higher, and the time for polite conversations is long gone.
The Truth They Don’t Want You to Hear
For over 100 years, Alberta has been treated like Ottawa’s colony. We’ve been stripped of wealth, muzzled by regulation, and told to sit quietly while Eastern politicians decide our fate. Meanwhile, our resources bankroll Quebec’s surpluses and our families pay the price with higher taxes, unemployment, and lost opportunities.
Ottawa’s latest trick? Universal Basic Income to create a nation of dependent voters. Lower the voting age ...
