Protester who lost life savings regrets involvement with 'Freedom Convoy'
More than a month after the so-called "Freedom Convoy" occupied downtown Ottawa, one protester says he regrets taking part.
Martin Joseph Anglehart says he spent all of his life savings helping people with the convoy, and is now living out of his vehicle near Kenora, Ont.
Anglehart says he only joined the protest because he wanted to feel part of something after months of feeling lonely.
"I’m still as alone as I was two months ago," said the 41-year-old from his car. "I still don’t have friends and I still don’t have family. I’m living in the back of a fricken car, so yah, I regret going."
Anglehart joined the convoy in Medicine Hat, Alta., where he then travelled with the group to Ottawa in January.
He said he spent more than $13,000, his entire life savings.
Anglehart wasn’t passionate about the cause, but joined the convoy because he was upset that he wasn’t able to say goodbye to his closest friend in hospital, who later died of cancer, because of pandemic restrictions.
"Loneliness was one of the worst things for me," Anglehart said.
After arriving in the nation’s capital, he wanted to help and quickly got involved in transferring thousands of dollars in cash for occupiers, as well as purchasing food and fuel.
"They said 'We need gas, we need to keep the truck going,'" he said. “They said 'Keep your receipt and we will put it with the sheets' and I said 'Ok."
He was hopeful that he would be reimbursed from crowd-sourcing platforms, but that never happened.
Text messages provided by Anglehart show some of the exchanges, where he writes, "Appreciate it. I emptied my PayPal. I should have more money coming in. I spent all my savings.”
Then the worry set in, as he wrote in a text message, "I put in all my savings so far. Just worried.”
Anglehart says he was arrested on Feb. 15 for delivering fuel to the occupiers.
"I was given a piece of paper that said I had to be outside the radius of Ottawa and I left, the day before my account got frozen," he said.
He now wants to apologize to the residents of Ottawa for his involvement.
"I’m sorry to the people of Ottawa,” he said. "You had to endure all the horns and all the weirdos."
He said he is working to rebuild his life, as his bank account remains frozen.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
B.C. tenants evicted for landlord's use after refusing large rent increase to take over neighbouring suite
Ashley Dickey and her mother rented part of the same Coquitlam duplex in three different decades under three different landlords.
Mountain guide dies after falling into a crevasse in Banff National Park
A man who fell into a crevasse while leading a backcountry ski group deep in the Canadian Rockies has died.
Expert warns of food consumption habits amid rising prices
A new survey by Dalhousie University's Agri-Food Analytics Lab asked Canadians about their food consumption habits amid rising prices.
MPP Sarah Jama asked to leave Ontario legislature for wearing keffiyeh
MPP Sarah Jama was asked to leave the Legislative Assembly of Ontario by House Speaker Ted Arnott on Thursday for wearing a keffiyeh, a garment which has been banned at Queen’s Park.
Charlie Woods, son of Tiger, shoots 81 in U.S. Open qualifier
Charlie Woods failed to advance in a U.S. Open local qualifying event Thursday, shooting a 9-over 81 at Legacy Golf & Tennis Club.
Ex-tabloid publisher testifies he scooped up possibly damaging tales to shield his old friend Trump
As Donald Trump was running for president in 2016, his old friend at the National Enquirer was scooping up potentially damaging stories about the candidate and paying out tens of thousands of dollars to keep them from the public eye.
Here's why provinces aren't following Saskatchewan's lead on the carbon tax home heating fight
After Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the federal government would still send Canada Carbon Rebate cheques to Saskatchewan residents, despite Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe's decision to stop collecting the carbon tax on natural gas or home heating, questions were raised about whether other provinces would follow suit. CTV News reached out across the country and here's what we found out.
Montreal actress calls Weinstein ruling 'discouraging' but not surprising
A Montreal actress, who has previously detailed incidents she had with disgraced Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein, says a New York Court of Appeals decision overturning his 2020 rape conviction is 'discouraging' but not surprising.
Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels and Drake Maye make it four NFL drafts with quarterbacks going 1-3
Caleb Williams is heading to the Windy City, aiming to become the franchise quarterback Chicago has sought for decades.