Canadian trucker acquitted of all charges
But why did the Canadian government charge him with any crimes? A legal 'victory' that still makes some of us want to scream.
A co-owner of a Canadian trucking company who organized a food drive for participants of the Freedom Convoy protest 40 months ago was acquitted of all changes brought by prosecutors, a verdict that’s being heralded as a major victory for those who believe in peaceful protests.
However, after researching details of this trucker’s legal case, my reaction is disbelief the State and local city council (where he previously served) targeted this man with criminal charges and imposed civil fines.
Another take-away is that prosecutors are still bringing criminal charges against truckers who participated in the Freedom Convoy, although all this business owner did was bring food and supplies to the protestors.
From a story published May 22 by Rebel News and from other video interviews produced by the same alternative media news outlet, I’ve pieced together the main (and surreal) details of this legal prosecution.
Note: (See 10-minute interview linked in the story labeled “Banned City Commissioner Pays it Forward”).
Harold Jonker’s criminal activity …
Harold Jonker is one of three co-owners of a family-owned trucking company in West Lincoln, Canada. He was previously also a member of the town council.
In late January 2022, Jonker, moved by the efforts of the Freedom Convoy protestors, decided he wanted to help in some way because he thought supporting freedom was important. As a Christian, he also wanted to help out with food and supplies.
Noting that the family business had been successful, Jonker wanted to use some of his resources for a bigger cause.
As he asked in one interview: “What is a business? What is all this stuff if we don’t have our freedom?”
About two weeks before the truckers arrived in Canada’s capital of Ottawa, Jonker and the two co-owners of the family trucking company decided to spearhead a local effort where citizens could donate food and supplies to those who were participating in the protest.
After publicizing their effort, local residents responded by bringing approximately 1,400 pounds of meat and more than 320 pounds of other food items and miscellaneous supplies/gifts to his company’s office. Approximately $1,400 in cash contributions was also donated to the effort.
By organizing the food drive, “We were trying to show these people love,” said Jonker’s sister-in-law in one interview.
“(We thought) bringing stuff to Ottawa was an awesome idea,” added Jonker, who was the “captain” of the food drive.
Using several of the 12 trucks from his company’s fleet that travelled to Ottawa, Jonker did deliver the supplies to protestors in Ottawa. (He also was ordered to re-pay the cost of the diesel fuel used to transport the donated goods to Ottawa).
For this effort, he was later sanctioned by the community council, and was docked one-month’s salary and ordered to re-pay the value of all the goods he and his family members had collected in their effort.
At one point, he was ordered to re-pay the people who donated the items, but Jonker said this was impossible because nobody kept up with the names of the people who dropped off food items and other gifts. Later, he just made an “estimate” of the value of the gifts, which he had to pay to the government.
From the Rebel News story, readers learn:
“Jonker faced immediate repercussions post-convoy, including a week-long sanction on his trucking company’s commercial registration.”
This week-long “sanction” meant his trucking company couldn’t conduct business for a week.
“That was the first punishment we received as a company,” he said. (Apparently, the company paid its drivers and employees out of their own reserves for the week the government said the company couldn’t engage in commerce).
Also from the Rebel News story:
“As a councillor, he was docked $2,000 for allegedly breaching the code of conduct, a ruling he contested unsuccessfully via judicial review.”
I also learned that a Canadian official with the job title “Integrity Commissioner” brought charges or sanctions against Jonker for being a town councilor who was participating in an illegal protest.
Editorial Comment: In Canada, it’s apparently a breach of “integrity” for a private citizen and business owner to support peaceful protestors.
Jonker noted that he was never arrested for anything while he was in Ottawa and noted some of the company’s trucks were parked near where many police officers were stationed.
Fifteen months after the Freedom Convoy had been disbanded by draconian State action, State prosecutors charged Jonker with “mischief, counselling mischief, intimidation, and counselling intimidation.”
The trial took place over three days earlier this month.
The fact criminal charges were filed seems to confirm that Canadian authorities are still trying to send a message to protestors or anyone that might organize a similar protest in the future.
(This reminds me of the hundreds or thousands of people who continued to be charged for J-6 crimes in America long after these protests had occurred).
Jonker said his prosecution seems like an effort to retaliate against Canadian citizens who were involved in the protest.
“They definitely came after people who seem to have a bit of a voice,” he told Rebel News, reaffirming his resolve: “I’d do it again.”
Also, per Rebel News, Jonker “remains entangled in a class-action lawsuit and fears ongoing targeting.”
Several paragraphs from the Rebel News’ article …
The following excerpts from the Rebel News’ story provide the story’s key details. I’ve added a few personal editorial comments (emphasis added by myself).
“Harold Jonker, a Niagara trucker and former West Lincoln councillor, was acquitted of all charges—mischief, counselling mischief, intimidation, and counselling intimidation—related to his role in the 2022 Freedom Convoy. “We’re absolutely over the moon,” said lawyer Chris Fleury.
“Nearly three years after the Freedom Convoy was forcibly dismantled after former prime minister Trudeau’s invocation of the Emergencies Act, Harold Jonker, a father, former West Lincoln municipal councillor, and owner of Jonker Trucking, has been acquitted of all criminal charges.
“Jonker faced accusations of mischief, counselling mischief, intimidation, and counselling intimidation stemming from his role as a Niagara region road captain during the 2022 Ottawa protests. On May 20, 2025, Ontario Superior Court Justice Kevin B. Phillips cleared Jonker of all counts, marking a significant legal victory.
“It was, I would say, unexpected to a certain extent. A criminal case is always an uphill battle,” said Jonker’s lawyer, Christopher Fleury of Charter Advocates Canada, funded by the Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms. “We’re absolutely over the moon.”
“Fleury explained the Crown’s case relied heavily on Jonker’s media interviews with Fox News and Canadian podcasters, which showed him in downtown Ottawa and expressing support for the convoy. However, “he never goes as far as to say things like honk your horns, come here and park a truck or block traffic,” Fleury noted.
My comment: What if Mr. Jonker had said or done these things? Except for “blocking traffic,” why would any activities of these peaceful protestors be considered a crime?
“… The judge determined that, although the convoy was found to have committed mischief, there was no proof beyond a reasonable doubt that Jonker had participated in it criminally.”
My comment: Apparently peaceful protests can now be labeled as criminal “mischief.” And the judge did rule the truckers committed this “crime.”
“I feel like yelling. I feel like crying,” Jonker said of his acquittal.
My comment: I’m happy for this verdict, but the fact charges were brought against this man (and the fact he’s already been forced to pay thousands of dollars and lost thousands of dollars in business revenue) makes me feel like yelling.
It certainly made me angry enough to write and publish this article on Substack.
A man who did absolutely nothing wrong - and organized charitable activities millions of citizens supported - was, thankfully, acquitted of several crimes. Still, this man had to defend himself for almost four years and thousands of dollars was stolen or extorted from him by government actions.
P.S.
At a Substack titled “Thank you, Truckers,” I found a video clip of Mr. Jonker leading the singing of the Canadian National Anthem before trucks from his company travelled to Ottawa to deliver their supplies.
Per the video, Mr. Jonker seemed to have had a great deal of support from local residents. One stanza from the Canadian National Anthem:
“God, keep our land, glorious and free …”
Let the record show that Mr. Jonker was prosecuted by his government for trying to follow this signature prayer from Canada’s beautiful national anthem.
Remember that until Freeland wrote her "designate them as terrorists" note, the protest was completely legal. That's why the Canadian government was having such a difficult time with it. (It's the modern day version of the sit-in.)
It's crazy the government would charge this guy when the protest was only 'illegal' after government 'illegally' proclaimed it to be illegal.
https://rumble.com/v2a4hzy-nowillegal.html
It costs nothing for the government to bring these cases forward, since it's all underwritten by the taxpayer. There is no cost born by those in government, since all branches cover each other and there's no accountability. It's the same in all "first world" countries, the problem is the structure and size of government.