A giant convoy of trucks festooned with slogans and driven by disgruntled western energy sector workers is heading east, bound for Ottawa and a three-day protest on Parliament Hill beginning Tuesday.
About 160 trucks left Red Deer, Alberta Thursday morning bound for Regina, where federal government lawyers were in court making their case on why they believe Ottawa has the legal power to impose a carbon tax on Saskatchewan.
The truckers who want to demonstrate their opposition to the federal carbon tax and Bill C-69, legislation that would change the way energy projects are reviewed, hope their convoy will grow to 200 trucks by the time the “United We Roll” convoy arrives in Ottawa.

Hundreds of convoy participants gathered in Red Deer on a frigid Thursday morning, with supporters cheering them on as they set off on the four-day trek to Ottawa. (Terry Reith/CBC)
The Bill, which was introduced in the House of Commons a year ago, would also replace the National Energy Board with the Canadian Energy Regulator and create an agency to to assess projects’ environmental impacts.
“Our oil and gas sector are in dire needs and (the sector) is good for the whole country,” leader organizer Glen Carritt told CTV News.
Mike Jepson, on of the lead drivers, told CBC News said the protest is about jobs.
“Our hope is to get our jobs back,” he said.
“I mean, a lot of us work in the oil and gas industry and other industries, and Alberta’s hurting.
“We’re hurting for jobs and it shows.”
With files from CBC, CTV, Global
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