Smaller yellow-vest convoy tours Edmonton ring road with pro-pipeline message

Adorned with Canadian flags and pro-pipeline posters, a convoy of about 60 trucks travelled Anthony Henday Drive in Edmonton Tuesday, the latest in a series of "yellow vest" demonstrations to hit the capital region in recent weeks.

With messages such as "Build the pipe!" plastered on the side of their rigs, a group of two dozen vehicles assembled in in Lamont, Alta., before gathering more members en route to Edmonton.

The convoy was significantly smaller than the contingent of more than 1,000 trucks that rolled through the streets of Nisku last month. 

• 'We will not stop': Truck convoy, rally in Nisku show support for oil and gas industry

Standing at the gathering spot in Lamont, participant Glen Carritt said he wasn't worried about the smaller turnout. Their message is important, he said.

"We don't want to frustrate the working-class people but what we have to do is get out the message," said Carritt, who runs a fire and medical safety service company operating in Alberta's oilpatch.

"We're doing this because we're tired of the slowdown in the oil and gas industry," he said. "People have to realize we're fighting for Canada. We need to get that message out there."

The protest was dubbed the "Stand Up Canada Yellow Vest Pipeline Rally." Several participants said they wanted to highlight issues beyond pipeline capacity, including immigration policy and the carbon tax.

"They need to realize we're standing behind the issues we believe in," said Carritt. "One is pipelines, one is the UN [migration pact] and the other is the carbon tax, and Bill C-48 and Bill C-69."

Bill C-48 would prohibit tankers carrying crude oil from loading or unloading at ports in northern British Columbia, formalizing a similar, voluntary ban that has been in place in the region for the last 20 years. Bill C-69 is a proposal to overhaul how energy projects are approved in Canada.

'We're just trying to get more awareness'

6 years ago

Duration 1:31

A yellow-vest convoy of trucks started in Lamont, Alta., then proceeded to Anthony Henday Drive to raise awareness of their pro-pipeline campaign.

Carritt said truckers are still planning a convoy to Ottawa, leaving Feb. 14 from Red Deer. 

The Edmonton Police Service and the RCMP said they would be monitoring Tuesday's convoy in their respective jurisdictions.

• 1 of 2 pro-pipeline convoys to Ottawa cancelled, leaving just yellow vests rolling ahead