Brigitte Belton is a Canadian truck driver who started the Canada convoy protest.
Career and activism
editBelton is a truck driver.[1] On 16 November 2021 Canadian Border Services Agency officers refused Belton entry to Canada at the Detroit-Windor due to her failure to wear a face mask.[1] At the October 2022 Public Order Emergency Commission, commission lawyer Stephen Armstrong stated that Belton vented her frustration via her TikTok feed before using the platform to connect with Chris Barber and then later initiating the planning of the Canada convoy protest.[1][2] Armstrong said that Belton, Chris Barber, and James Bauder all took part in a Facebook Live event on January 13, 2022, to plan the protest's route and logistics.[1] The next day, Tamara Lich started the fundraiser for the protest.[1]
Belton stated that the mainstream media did not depict the protesters accurately.[3] She stated that she is not against vaccinations, but is against vaccination mandates, as she believes that people should be able to make this health choice for themselves.[3] She questions the safety and effectiveness of the Covid-19 vaccinations.[3]
Belton was one of the first witnesses to testify at the Public Order Emergency Commission in October 2022.[2] During her testimony she questioned how fellow protest leader Tamara Lich would spend money raised to support the convoy protest,[2] and was critical of a decision to buy a decommissioned church in Ottawa.[4] In July 2022, Belton's social media connected Tamara Lich to the pending purchase of Saint Brigid's Church in Ottawa, which was being occupied by The United People of Canada.[5]
In May 2022, Belton was selected as the Ontario Party's candidate for the Elgin-Middlesex-London riding.[6] She won 1,092 votes, representing 2.49% of the votes cast, losing to Rob Flack.[7]
Personal life
editBelton is from Wallaceburg, Ontario.[1] She is not vaccinated for COVID-19.[8][9]
She is married, and is both a mother and a grandmother.[10]
Electoral history
edit| 2022 Ontario general election: Elgin—Middlesex—London | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures | |||
| Progressive Conservative | Rob Flack | 22,369 | 51.08 | −4.38 | $91,316 | |||
| New Democratic | Andy Kroeker | 7,973 | 18.21 | −13.86 | $40,974 | |||
| Liberal | Heather Jackson | 7,618 | 17.40 | +10.09 | $24,316 | |||
| New Blue | Matt Millar | 2,238 | 5.11 | $11,355 | ||||
| Green | Amanda Stark | 2,043 | 4.67 | +0.82 | $3,085 | |||
| Ontario Party | Brigitte Belton | 1,092 | 2.49 | $7,006 | ||||
| Freedom | Dave Plumb | 261 | 0.60 | +0.07 | $0 | |||
| Consensus Ontario | Malichi Malé | 197 | 0.45 | $0 | ||||
| Total valid votes/expense limit | 43,791 | 99.46 | +0.44 | $137,656 | ||||
| Total rejected, unmarked, and declined ballots | 236 | 0.54 | -0.44 | |||||
| Turnout | 44,027 | 44.78 | -14.67 | |||||
| Eligible voters | 97,075 | |||||||
| Progressive Conservative hold | Swing | +4.74 | ||||||
Source(s)
| ||||||||
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b c d e f MacCharles, Tonda; Ballingall, Alex (October 13, 2022). "How one trucker's TikTok video turned into the 'Freedom Convoy,' according to inquiry lawyers". thestar.com. Retrieved November 5, 2022.
- ^ a b c Laura Osman, Laura; Taylor, Stephanie; Fraser, David (November 1, 2022). "'Power struggle' made it hard to manage 'Freedom Convoy,' inquiry hears". thepeterboroughexaminer.com. Retrieved November 5, 2022.
- ^ a b c Flood, Brian (February 8, 2022). "Freedom Convoy organizer 'downright disgusted' by media coverage, American trucker blasts 'disconnected' press". Fox News. Archived from the original on May 5, 2024. Retrieved May 5, 2024.
- ^ "'Unorganized chaos': Power struggles played out among 'Freedom Convoy' organizers, inquiry hears". thestar.com. November 1, 2022. Retrieved November 5, 2022.
- ^ Deachman, Bruce (July 29, 2022). "Backer behind St. Brigid's property purchase all about love and inclusion, wants to open 'mini Disney World'". ottawacitizen. Retrieved November 5, 2022.
- ^ "Ontario Party candidate for EML vows to keep on trucking for freedom". 94.1 St.ThomasToday.ca. May 5, 2022. Retrieved November 5, 2022.
- ^ "PC Rob Flack wins in Elgin—Middlesex—London". thestar.com. June 2, 2022. Archived from the original on November 5, 2022. Retrieved November 5, 2022.
- ^ Tasker, John Paul (November 1, 2022). "Convoy inquiry hears of death threat against Freeland as organizer describes 'power struggle' among protesters". CBC.
- ^ "Convoi de la liberté : des organisateurs évoquent des "luttes de pouvoir" | Commission d'enquête sur l'état d'urgence". Radio-Canada.ca (in Canadian French). November 1, 2022. Retrieved November 5, 2022.
- ^ "Our Candidates". Ontario Party - 2022. Retrieved November 5, 2022.[permanent dead link]