Martin Rejman
Martin Rejman spoke 28 times across 1 day of testimony.
-
Martin Rejman, Counsel (Marco Van Huigenbos)
Good afternoon, Commissioner. Martin Rejman, for the record. Mr. Van Huigenbos has recently been charged in relationship -- in relation to matters that he may be asked questions about in these proceedings, namely the events in Coutts, Alberta, that took place between January 29th and February 15th of this year, 2022. On Friday, November 4th, 2022, Mr. Van Huigenbos elected to be tried by a jury of peers. Mr. Van Huigenbos was summoned to testify this afternoon. His testimony is compelled and subject nationwide publication. Mr. Van Huigenbos invokes the protection afforded to him under the Canada Evidence Act, specifically Section 5.2, as well as the related provisions of the Alberta Evidence Act to protect his interests against any self-incrimination. He also benefits from and seeks the protection of Section 13 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms in his anticipated testimony. For the record, he objects to answer each and every question on the grounds that his answers may incriminate him or may/or could be used to establish any liability in the criminal or civil proceedings. He is compelled to provide answers, and we can proceed with the questions.
-
Martin Rejman, Counsel (Marco Van Huigenbos)
Mr. Van Huigenbos, counsel for Canada, my friend, she showed you a clip where a vehicle was struck. Now, that wasn’t the only accident in Coutts; correct? The RCMP were involved with -- in an accident because they ignored a stop sign?
-
Martin Rejman, Counsel (Marco Van Huigenbos)
And as a consequence of that accident, do you know if anybody was arrested for this alleged assault?
-
Martin Rejman, Counsel (Marco Van Huigenbos)
In your opinion, and the political decisions that were made with respect to the pandemic and the covid virus, so the measures and responses, were they proportional or unproportional to the virus?
-
Martin Rejman, Counsel (Marco Van Huigenbos)
Yes.
-
Martin Rejman, Counsel (Marco Van Huigenbos)
And so you would agree with me that the response and the measures trampled various protected rights?
-
Martin Rejman, Counsel (Marco Van Huigenbos)
They caused economic damage?
-
Martin Rejman, Counsel (Marco Van Huigenbos)
There were social, health, and psychological implications and issues?
-
Martin Rejman, Counsel (Marco Van Huigenbos)
Was there an injunction -- as far as you are aware of, was there an injunction sought or granted with respect to the Coutts' protest?
-
Martin Rejman, Counsel (Marco Van Huigenbos)
And then during the Coutts' protest, was there any violence?
-
Martin Rejman, Counsel (Marco Van Huigenbos)
Was it a peaceful protest?
-
Martin Rejman, Counsel (Marco Van Huigenbos)
Were there families there?
-
Martin Rejman, Counsel (Marco Van Huigenbos)
Did you observe any kids playing road hockey?
-
Martin Rejman, Counsel (Marco Van Huigenbos)
So one could state that it was a very Canadian protest?
-
Martin Rejman, Counsel (Marco Van Huigenbos)
Now with respect to this alleged security team, to the best of your knowledge, was there an official security team?
-
Martin Rejman, Counsel (Marco Van Huigenbos)
What threats against your family were made?
-
Martin Rejman, Counsel (Marco Van Huigenbos)
Thank you. With respect to the timeline, kind of the time between February -- or January 29th and February 15th or so, during the protest, we'll call it, there were 2 -- there were some arrests on February 13th and into the early morning of February 14th. There were no -- were there any other arrests in Coutts or in around Milk River ---
-
Martin Rejman, Counsel (Marco Van Huigenbos)
--- that you were aware of?
-
Martin Rejman, Counsel (Marco Van Huigenbos)
Mr. Clerk, if we could pull up the document PB.NSC.CAN.00009207? Great. Thank you. Mr. Van Huigenbos, right here it's an email -- I'm not sure who John Ferguson is. It's regarding Coutts. At one point it says, "At approximately 22:00 [hours] a tractor tried to forcibly push a RCMP police vehicle out of the checkpoint with the assistance of a Pick-up..." Is that your recollections of the events?
-
Martin Rejman, Counsel (Marco Van Huigenbos)
What happened?
-
Martin Rejman, Counsel (Marco Van Huigenbos)
But you -- in what you witnessed, there was -- you didn't see any attempt to forcibly push an RCMP vehicle?
-
Martin Rejman, Counsel (Marco Van Huigenbos)
The issue with the premier's announcement of February 8th. You would agree with me that it - - the issue was that it could have been that the premier or the government could have gone back on it? It wasn’t a solid plan; it had all kinds of avenues as to exit and do U-turns and come back?
-
Martin Rejman, Counsel (Marco Van Huigenbos)
Am I out of time, Commissioner?
-
Martin Rejman, Counsel (Marco Van Huigenbos)
Okay. I've got two more questions. The truckers were labelled "Heroes" for nearly two years, and then with a stroke of a -- well, because they were deemed to be risking their lives for nearly two years -- with the stroke of a pen, those that were unvaccinated became essentially persona non grata, so that the truckers became -- they weren’t allowed essentially to -- some of them couldn't cross ---
-
Martin Rejman, Counsel (Marco Van Huigenbos)
Yes, yes. Would you agree with the statement that suddenly, they -- for many years they were -- I mean, for almost two years they were labelled heroes, and then suddenly, they were not allowed to work?
-
Martin Rejman, Counsel (Marco Van Huigenbos)
And my last question is ---
-
Martin Rejman, Counsel (Marco Van Huigenbos)
--- with respect to the implementation of the public, the Emergency Act and the measures taken by the federal government, do you believe that it was because they were embarrassed by the various protests and various -- yeah, basically, the various protests?
-
Martin Rejman, Counsel (Marco Van Huigenbos)
Thank you. Thank you, Commissioner.