FREEDOM CONVOY INSURRECTIONISTS

Some Coutts protesters wanted to alter Canada's political system, court documents say

Story by Kevin Martin • Yesterday 30/11/22

Protesters involved in the Coutts border blockade discussed “altering Canada’s political, justice and medical systems,” information uncovered during an RCMP investigation says.


Trucks at the Coutts international border crossing on Feb. 3, 2022.© Provided by Calgary Herald

In a sworn Information To Obtain (ITO) affidavit in support of an application for a warrant to seize remand phone records of four named accused, Const. Trevor Checkley outlined where the Mounties’ investigation was as of May 4.

The search warrant requests targeted Anthony Olienick, Chris Carbert, Christopher Lysak and Jerry Morin, who are each charged with conspiracy to murder RCMP officers during their involvement with the blockade.

All four were arrested in February.

In the ITO, a redacted version of which was released Wednesday by Lethbridge provincial court Judge Kristin Ailsby, Checkley outlined police concerns about the protest.

“Carbert received a text message from (a redacted name) and was told to share a message with non-mainstream media and on social media,” Checkley wrote

“The message and a related followup text from (redacted name) stated the protest was not just about ending vaccine and public health mandates but altering Canada’s political, justice and medical systems, including the elimination of a group of people referred to as the professional political class,” he said.

“(Redacted name) also shared the above message from (redacted name) in a group text chat with Carbert, Lysak and Olienick.”

Checkley noted undercover officers who infiltrated the protest had been present when Olienick and Carbert met with Morin regarding the delivery of a heavy package believed to be guns.

“When (an undercover officer) later asked Olienick if everything was delivered, referring to the delivery of firearms, Olienick said not everything made it,” Checkley wrote.

“Olienick told the UCOs if the RCMP came in with force they would be met with greater force and that the RCMP were the enemy. Olienick also said he was willing to die for the cause.”

During a Feb. 14 raid on three trailers in Coutts, Mounties uncovered multiple firearms, ammunition and tactical vests.


Photo supplied by RCMP on Monday, Feb. 14, 2022, shows a large assortment of weapons and ammunition seized near Coutts during a crackdown near the Canada/U.S. border.© Supplied by RCMP

In a subsequent search of Olienick’s rural southern Alberta residence, “police located firearms, over 36,000 rounds of ammunition, tactical gear and two pipe bombs.”

“Olienick described Lysak as a hitman, sniper and gun-fighter,” Checkley said.

“Police seized a handgun registered to Lysak from the trailer where Lysak was staying in Coutts . . . and a rifle with a scope and a range finder from Lysak’s truck parked near the Coutts blockade site.”

The officer said he believed Olienick, Carbert and Lysak, who were arrested with others in the border community, “went to Coutts with the support of (redacted names) to affect political change, as they believed that the Coutts blockade would lead to conflict and were preparing for armed conflict with police.

“For the reasons outlined above, I have reasonable grounds to believe Olienick, Carbert, Lysak and Jerry Morin possessed weapons near the Coutts blockade protest site with the intention of using those weapons against police.”

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Checkley also reviewed police interviews of the four accused following their arrests.

“Olienick believed the government wanted to destroy the middle class and the economy was going to collapse,” he wrote.

He also expected a totalitarian communist regime would be installed in Canada “and there would be executions and gas chambers.”

“Carbert said he was trying to prevent a war and that people can only be pushed so far,” Checkley said.

“The whole point was to get (Prime Minister Justin) Trudeau and (then-premier Jason) Kenney to step down.”

Lysak questioned the validity of COVID-19 vaccines, the officer wrote.

“Lysak . . . said that it was 900 times more deadly for kids to get vaccinated than to get (COVID).”

And Morin expressed contempt for the government, Checkley said.

“Morin said it was World War Three and that stripping freedoms and making everyone slaves was warfare,” he said.

All four, who remain in custody, are set to stand trial next June.

KMartin@postmedia.com

Twitter: @KMartinCourts