A sentencing hearing is to start Thursday for three men convicted of helping co-ordinate the border blockade at Coutts, Alta., in 2022 in protest of COVID-19 rules and restrictions. A truck adorned with Canadian and American flags is shown at the blockade, Wednesday, Feb. 2, 2022. (Photo: Canadian Press)

By Canadian Press

Sentencing hearing for 3 convicted in Coutts blockade down to 2 after lawyer fired

Jan 9, 2025 | 11:14 AM

The sentencing hearing for three leaders of the Coutts, Alta., border blockade is now a sentencing hearing for two.

The lawyer for Alex Van Herk has told court he has been fired, and Van Herk has asked for a 30-day delay to obtain new counsel.

Van Herk, Marco Van Huigenbos and Gerhard (George) Janzen were in court in Lethbridge for sentencing arguments after earlier being found guilty of mischief over $5,000.

They were convicted for their roles in the blockade that tied up cross-border traffic for two weeks in early 2022 to protest COVID rules and vaccine mandates.

Sentencing submissions for Janzen and Van Huigenbos are to proceed as planned.

What's Happening in Lethbridge this week: January 6-12, 2025

Jan 07, 2025

What's Happening in Lethbridge this week: December 30 - January 5, 2025

Dec 30, 2024

What's Happening in Lethbridge this week: December 16-22, 2024

Dec 17, 2024

As the hearing was set to begin Tuesday, Van Herk’s lawyer, Michael Johnston, told Justice Keith Yamauchi that Van Herk “no longer wishes for me to be his counsel.”

“He has terminated by services.”

The trio were found guilty in April.

Defence lawyers didn’t call evidence during the trial, and the three accused didn’t testify.

Mounties told the jury that, as the protest dragged on, officers increasingly turned to the men to negotiate. The Crown argued the trio became the faces of the blockade and spoke on behalf of protesters.

“They are not some mere messengers. They use the words, `We, our and us,”’ prosecutor Steven Johnston told the trial.

In a separate case, protesters Anthony Olienick and Chris Carbert were charged with conspiracy to murder police officers at the blockade.

In September, a jury found them not guilty of that offence but convicted them of possessing a firearm dangerous to the public peace and mischief over $5,000. Olienick was also convicted of possessing a pipe bomb.

They were each sentenced to 6.5 years behind bars. Their mischief convictions netted concurrent terms of six months.

Van Huigenbos attended that sentencing hearing and said outside court that he expected the Crown would ask for him to serve more than six months.

“I feel they will look for more. The worst is 10 years,” said Van Huigenbos. “That won’t happen, but I expect to see something along the lines of a request for 1.5 years – something like that.”

The two-day hearing for the three men was initially scheduled for September but was delayed to give Van Huigenbos time to find a new lawyer.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 9, 2025.

(The Canadian Press)

READ MORE: Sentencing hearing begins for men convicted of leading Coutts blockade