Brigitte Belton is a Canadian truck driver who started the Canada convoy protest.

Career and activism

Belton 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 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.[3] 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.[4]

In May 2022, Belton was selected as the Ontario Party's candidate for the Elgin-Middlesex-London riding.[5] She won 234 votes, representing 2.6% of the votes cast, losing to Rob Flack.[6]

Personal life

Belton is from Wallaceburg, Ontario.[1] She is not vaccinated for COVID-19.[7][8]

She is married, and is both a mother and a grandmother.[9]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 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.
  2. 1 2 3 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.
  3. ↑ "'Unorganized chaos': Power struggles played out among 'Freedom Convoy' organizers, inquiry hears". thestar.com. November 1, 2022. Retrieved November 5, 2022.
  4. ↑ 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.
  5. ↑ "Ontario Party candidate for EML vows to keep on trucking for freedom". 94.1 St.ThomasToday.ca. May 5, 2022. Retrieved November 5, 2022.
  6. ↑ "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.
  7. ↑ Tasker, John Paul (November 1, 2022). "Convoy inquiry hears of death threat against Freeland as organizer describes 'power struggle' among protesters". CBC.
  8. ↑ "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.
  9. ↑ "Our Candidates". Ontario Party - 2022. Retrieved November 5, 2022.
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