Organizers from throughout the province, including the southeast, are set to roll convoys with as many as 4-500 vehicles into Regina for a rally against the federal carbon tax on Thursday, April 4.
All of the vehicles will converge on the Queensbury Centre in Regina to hear speakers in support of the province鈥檚 fight against the carbon tax, which went into effect on Monday, including a 4.4-cent per litre hike on gas prices.
鈥淭he response has been really good and positive,鈥� said Weyburn organizer Dale Mainil. 鈥淲ith carbon tax coming in on Monday, it鈥檚 been frustrating. It doesn鈥檛 address climate change, it takes money out of your wallet.鈥�
Among the speakers lined up to speak at the rally, which will start around 2 p.m., will be Premier Scott Moe, who will be bringing a contingent of MLAs and ministers to the rally. The premier and the provincial government are in the midst of a court battle against the carbon tax. There are also four MPs coming from Ottawa, including Souris-Moose Mountain MP Dr. Robert Kitchen.
Mainil pointed out that there was a blanket invitation to all parties at the local, provincial and federal levels to take part in this event.
The rally will also voice opposition to the lack of pipelines being built in Canada, and federal bill C-69 and C-48, with representatives of both the oil and agricultural industries involved in organizing the protest event.
鈥淚t鈥檚 an awareness rally. We want people to realize this tax is destructive to oil and agriculture, and really to every sector,鈥� he added.
Josh Mainil pointed out that the response from the agriculture sector has been just as strong for this rally as from the oil industry, with many businesses from the southeast region registering to take part.
鈥淚t鈥檚 not too late to register,鈥� he added, noting there is no deadline, as long as people are phoning in to register and get their information package that details how and when everything is happening.
In the southeast, the convoy will start out from Estevan at 7 a.m., and will roll through Weyburn on Highway 39 around 8 a.m. The convoy will travel up to Regina to a designated meeting point at Highway 33 to meet others travelling in from the east before proceeding through Regina.
The convoy from Weyburn will marshall along 22nd Avenue 麻豆传媒AV starting at 7 a.m., entering from Highway 35 and facing east. Once the vehicles arrive from Estevan, police members with the Combined Traffic Services Saskatchewan (CTSS), will direct the Weyburn convoy on joining and then moving through the city before heading up to Regina.
The CTSS involves officers from the Weyburn Police Service and the RCMP, and are coordinating efforts with the Regina Police Service so the convoy causes as little disruption as possible.
The convoy from Carnduff and Arcola will be travelling in to Weyburn, turning at Range Road 2142 at the 7-Eleven store to turn south and join up with the Weyburn convoy on 22nd Avenue.
Once the convoy is directed by police into Regina along Arcola Avenue, it will go up to Saskatchewan Drive west to Lewvan Drive, then north to the Queensbury Downs where the rally will be staged indoors.
The organizers have set up a web page and social media accounts, and are encouraging supporters to submit videos to their Facebook page or to twitter, @againsttax, and for those who will be joining the convoy into Regina, they would like people to register so they can in turn inform the police agencies of what kind of traffic to expect.
To register for the convoy, phone 306-634-9955, or call or text to 306-421-9847. Also people can visit the website to register, at so they can get the full information package about the timing and the route for the convoy and rally.
