Sask. protestors 'stand in solidarity' with Dutch farmers facing environmental regulations
Hundreds of demonstrators in dozens of vehicles were present on Highway 1 between Moose Jaw and Regina on Saturday, staging a “slow roll” protest in solidarity with Dutch farmers.
Protests in the Netherlands have persisted due to environmental regulations mandated by the Dutch government.
Efforts to reduce emissions of nitrogen oxide and ammonia, which are essential in the manufacturing of synthetic fertilizer, have been condemned by some Dutch producers.
The outskirts of Moose Jaw were host to many Dutch and Canadian flags Saturday afternoon, as protestors convened before slowly setting off to the Queen City.
Signs and slogans at the demonstration included: “No Farmers, No Food,” “Stand Together,” “Freedom,” “#DUTCHFARMERS,” and “No Fertilizer, No Farmers, No Food.”
One of the demonstrators, Mark Friesen, said the event was a gesture of solidarity to those protesting in the Netherlands and a message to the federal government.
“So we have to do something, we have to stand in support of Dutch farmers, and our own farmers,” said Friesen.
“[To] ensure that the government in Ottawa is paying attention and they understand that if they go any further with this, they're gonna have to deal with us.”
Friesen previously ran in the Saskatoon-Grasswood riding for the People's Party of Canada and has been a prominent critic of public health measures during the COVID-19 pandemic.
He and others at the event believed that if similar regulations were put into place in Canada, the effect on farming operations in Saskatchewan and other provinces would be immense.
“They're looking at a 30 per cent reduction in nitrogen fertilizer ... if it's going to decimate the smaller farms throughout Europe, it's gonna really decimate the big farms here in Saskatchewan, Alberta, Manitoba, and even lower mainland in B.C., and of course Ontario farmers as well,” Friesen said.
“This idea that reducing nitrogen fertilizer is somehow going to help the planet, it's not. Nitrogen fertilizer has been responsible for feeding the planet and avoiding famine.”
The demonstration ended with the convoy of vehicles entering Regina and travelling north on Albert Street late Saturday afternoon.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING New York appeals court overturns Harvey Weinstein's 2020 rape conviction from landmark #MeToo trial
New York’s highest court on Thursday overturned Harvey Weinstein’s 2020 rape conviction, finding the judge at the landmark #MeToo trial prejudiced the ex-movie mogul with improper rulings, including a decision to let women testify about allegations that weren’t part of the case.
Residents of northern Alberta First Nation told to shelter in place
Residents of John D'Or Prairie, a community on the Little Red River Cree Nation in northern Alberta, were told to take shelter Thursday morning during a police operation.
LIVE SOON Honda expected to announce Ontario EV battery plant, part of a $15B investment
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Ontario Premier Doug Ford and Honda executives are expected to announce today that the Japanese automaker is building an electric vehicle battery plant in Alliston, Ont., part of a $15-billion investment.
Monthly earnings rise, payroll employment falls: jobs report
The number of vacant jobs in Canada increased in February, while monthly payroll employment decreased in food services, manufacturing, and retail trade, among other sectors.
Doctors say capital gains tax changes will jeopardize their retirement. Is that true?
The Canadian Medical Association asserts the Liberals' proposed changes to capital gains taxation will put doctors' retirement savings in jeopardy, but some financial experts insist incorporated professionals are not as doomed as they say they are.
Secret $70M Lotto Max winners break their silence
During a special winner celebration near their hometown, Doug and Enid shared the story of how they discovered they were holding a Lotto Max ticket worth $70 million and how they kept this huge secret for so long.
Remains from a mother-daughter cold case were found nearly 24 years later, after a deathbed confession from the suspect
A West Virginia father is getting some sense of closure after authorities found the remains of his young daughter and her mother following a deathbed confession from the man believed to have fatally shot them nearly two decades ago.
Something in the water? Canadian family latest to spot elusive 'Loch Ness Monster'
For centuries, people have wondered what, if anything, might be lurking beneath the surface of Loch Ness in Scotland. When Canadian couple Parry Malm and Shannon Wiseman visited the Scottish highlands earlier this month with their two children, they didn’t expect to become part of the mystery.
Metro Vancouver mayors call for serial killer Robert Pickton to be denied parole
A dozen mayors from around Metro Vancouver say federal Attorney General and Justice Minister Arif Virani should deny parole for notorious B.C. serial killer Robert Pickton, and reassess the parole and sentencing system for 'prolific offenders and mass murderers.'