After a full day of protests on Monday, Cochrane RCMP appear to have moved to shut down a gathering of about 500 people waving flags and honking horns on the side of the TransCanada Highway near the Highway 22 junction..Shortly before 6 pm police posted on Twitter (“X”) that they were diverting traffic around Cochrane due to delays that had reportedly extended for for more than four kilometres in the westbound lane.The protestors had previously agreed to keep one lane open in each direction. It wasn’t clear if police had moved to clear the roadway.By 7:30 they reported that the version had “ended” and traffic was once again flowing “normally in both directions.”It comes after protestors gathered at the intersection of Hwys. 1 and 22 west of Calgary early Monday morning at the Cochrane turnoff to express displeasure with a combined hit from the federal carbon tax as well as the Alberta fuel surcharge that went onto effect at midnight.The protests come as the federal government raised the price of carbon from $65 per tonne to $80 per tonne effective April 1. Likewise, the UCP government simultaneously reinstated the full fuel tax.That resulted in a seven cent increase in the price of a litre of regular gasoline effective midnight to $1.62 at most stations across Calgary.In scenes reminiscent of the Trucker Freedom Convoy, anti-tax crusaders camped out overnight in RVs and pickup trucks in anticipation of a day of protest.People ravelled from as far as northeast BC and Grande Prairie to wave flags and chanting slogans while traffic backed up on both lanes of the TransCanada heading east and west. Horns were honking and police were on hand in what was an entirely peaceful protest. The only tensions that flared were directed to a CBC camera crew that tried — and failed — to get ‘usable’ interview footage that didn’t include ‘F*ck Trudeau’ flags..The atmosphere was jovial, with plenty of pets, children and Timmies coffee and doughnuts on hand in what was a reunion of sorts for veterans of past protests at the border and Ottawa in the winter of 2022.“We’ve just had enough,” one told The Western Standard. ”It has to stop.”Similar demonstrations were held across the country, including similar demonstrations in Jasper, Pincher Creek and Medicine Hat.The goals was to protest the federal carbon tax hike that has been opposed by seven premiers in recent days.On Thursday, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith called the carbon tax ‘immoral’ and ‘inhumane’ in front of a House of Commons committee . Despite the openly anti-Trudeau sentiment — and ‘Axe the Tax’ banners used by Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre in recent rallies — organizers described the protest as non partisan.Organizers had reached out to police prior to the gathering to assure them it would be entirely peaceful.“This protest is a grassroots initiative, standing firmly apart from any political party or movement. It represents the concerns and aspirations of Canadians from all political backgrounds, races, and religions, coming together with a common goal,” the admin team said in a statement. .Although most motorists seemed supportive of the delay, RCMP said drivers should be aware of potential delays and disruptions on Highway 1 and consider alternate routes to avoid them."Alberta RCMP and partner organizations will be present to ensure that the impact on travellers will be minimized and to ensure traffic disruption will not affect public safety," it said in a news release.
After a full day of protests on Monday, Cochrane RCMP appear to have moved to shut down a gathering of about 500 people waving flags and honking horns on the side of the TransCanada Highway near the Highway 22 junction..Shortly before 6 pm police posted on Twitter (“X”) that they were diverting traffic around Cochrane due to delays that had reportedly extended for for more than four kilometres in the westbound lane.The protestors had previously agreed to keep one lane open in each direction. It wasn’t clear if police had moved to clear the roadway.By 7:30 they reported that the version had “ended” and traffic was once again flowing “normally in both directions.”It comes after protestors gathered at the intersection of Hwys. 1 and 22 west of Calgary early Monday morning at the Cochrane turnoff to express displeasure with a combined hit from the federal carbon tax as well as the Alberta fuel surcharge that went onto effect at midnight.The protests come as the federal government raised the price of carbon from $65 per tonne to $80 per tonne effective April 1. Likewise, the UCP government simultaneously reinstated the full fuel tax.That resulted in a seven cent increase in the price of a litre of regular gasoline effective midnight to $1.62 at most stations across Calgary.In scenes reminiscent of the Trucker Freedom Convoy, anti-tax crusaders camped out overnight in RVs and pickup trucks in anticipation of a day of protest.People ravelled from as far as northeast BC and Grande Prairie to wave flags and chanting slogans while traffic backed up on both lanes of the TransCanada heading east and west. Horns were honking and police were on hand in what was an entirely peaceful protest. The only tensions that flared were directed to a CBC camera crew that tried — and failed — to get ‘usable’ interview footage that didn’t include ‘F*ck Trudeau’ flags..The atmosphere was jovial, with plenty of pets, children and Timmies coffee and doughnuts on hand in what was a reunion of sorts for veterans of past protests at the border and Ottawa in the winter of 2022.“We’ve just had enough,” one told The Western Standard. ”It has to stop.”Similar demonstrations were held across the country, including similar demonstrations in Jasper, Pincher Creek and Medicine Hat.The goals was to protest the federal carbon tax hike that has been opposed by seven premiers in recent days.On Thursday, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith called the carbon tax ‘immoral’ and ‘inhumane’ in front of a House of Commons committee . Despite the openly anti-Trudeau sentiment — and ‘Axe the Tax’ banners used by Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre in recent rallies — organizers described the protest as non partisan.Organizers had reached out to police prior to the gathering to assure them it would be entirely peaceful.“This protest is a grassroots initiative, standing firmly apart from any political party or movement. It represents the concerns and aspirations of Canadians from all political backgrounds, races, and religions, coming together with a common goal,” the admin team said in a statement. .Although most motorists seemed supportive of the delay, RCMP said drivers should be aware of potential delays and disruptions on Highway 1 and consider alternate routes to avoid them."Alberta RCMP and partner organizations will be present to ensure that the impact on travellers will be minimized and to ensure traffic disruption will not affect public safety," it said in a news release.
