㽶Ƶֱ

Skip to content

GoFundMe says funds for 㽶Ƶֱfreedom convoy㽶Ƶֱ of B.C. truckers opposed to vaccine mandates will be 㽶Ƶֱsafely held㽶Ƶֱ

㽶ƵֱPart of our standard process to ensure the protection of all donors㽶Ƶֱ spokesperson says
27940274_web1_220125-LAT-DF-Convoy-GoFundMe-file_1
Supporters cheered on a procession of trucks on Sunday morning, Jan. 23, as they passed through Langley en route to Ottawa to protest vaccine mandates. (Langley Advance Times file)

A GoFundMe spokesperson said money raised for a convoy of B.C. truckers heading to Ottawa to protest vaccine mandates will be 㽶Ƶֱsafely held㽶Ƶֱ until the organizer presents a withdrawal plan.

㽶ƵֱWe are continuing to work directly with the organizer to gather information about how funds are being distributed,㽶Ƶֱ the unsigned Tuesday, Jan 25, statement said.

㽶ƵֱThis is part of our standard process to ensure the protection of all donors. Once a withdrawal plan is provided by the organizer, our team is on standby to safely and quickly deliver the funds.㽶Ƶֱ

GoFundMe requires 㽶Ƶֱthat fundraisers be transparent about the flow of funds and have a clear plan for how those funds will be spent,㽶Ƶֱ the spokesperson told the Langley Advance Times.

㽶ƵֱIn this case, we are in touch with the organizer to verify that information. Funds will be safely held until the organizer is able to provide the documentation to our team about how funds will be properly distributed.㽶Ƶֱ

Hundreds gathered at overpasses along Hwy. 1 to cheer the convoy on when it passed through the Lower Mainlnd on Sunday.

As of Tuesday, the 㽶ƵֱFreedom Convoy㽶Ƶֱ fundraiser had collected $4.6 million and one organizer was calling it the eighth most successful GoFundMe campaign in history.

READ ALSO:

On the GoFundMe page, organizers Tamara Lich and B.J. Dichter said the money raised 㽶Ƶֱwill be dispersed to our truckers to aid them with the cost of the journey.㽶Ƶֱ

㽶ƵֱFunds will be spent to help cover the cost of fuel for our truckers first and foremost, [and] will be used to assist with food if needed and contribute to shelter if needed.㽶Ƶֱ

It was originally billed as a protest against new Canadian and U.S. regulations requiring all cross-border truckers to be vaccinated, but the fundraising page appears to go further, calling for a blanket lifting of pandemic restrictions, saying 㽶Ƶֱwe are taking our fight to the doorsteps of our Federal Government and demanding that they cease all mandates against its people. Small businesses are being destroyed, homes are being destroyed, and people are being mistreated and denied fundamental necessities to survive.㽶Ƶֱ

READ ALSO:

Lich is a member of the western Canadian governing council of the Alberta-based Maverick Party, which has supported separation from Canada by the western provinces and creation of a 㽶Ƶֱwestern nation.㽶Ƶֱ

On Monday, the party issued a statement saying it was .

In response to follow-up queries, party spokesperson Leah Murray said Lich was 㽶Ƶֱvolunteering as an individual, completely separate from [the] Maverick Party.㽶Ƶֱ


Is there more to the story? Email: dan.ferguson@langleyadvancetimes.com
Like us on and follow us on .


Dan Ferguson

About the Author: Dan Ferguson

Best recognized for my resemblance to St. Nick, I㽶Ƶֱm the guy you㽶Ƶֱll often see out at community events and happenings around town.
Read more



(or

㽶Ƶֱ

) document.head.appendChild(flippScript); window.flippxp = window.flippxp || {run: []}; window.flippxp.run.push(function() { window.flippxp.registerSlot("#flipp-ux-slot-ssdaw212", "Black Press Media Standard", 1281409, [312035]); }); }