By Curtis Galbraith

Oil and gas rally in Slave Lake today

Jan 6, 2019 | 4:30 AM

Hundreds of people and dozens of trucks are expected at a rally and convoy in support of the oil and gas business today in Slave Lake.
 
Organizer Sonya Andrews says her community has been hit hard by the downturn in the energy business and seeing rallies in other communities led to her wanting to have one in Slave Lake.
 
“There’s a lot of people out of work. Companies are finding it hard to find work. I just woke up one night and thought well, you know what, if everyone else is doing it, we should do our part and do one as well.”
 
She is hoping governments will take notice of the support for the industry these rallies are generating.
 
“We definitely are mad in Slave Lake and we definitely need the government to take notice. We’re all for the convoy that’s going to Ottawa as well. We really need to see Bill C-69 and Bill C-48 stopped. We just really need to see a pipeline from east and westbound.”
 
Andrews says every company in town had agreed to have a truck in the convoy. She adds it has taken a huge effort from town hall and the community to get the rally organized.
 
The truck convoy that will wind its way through town starts at  noon at the Hotel Northern Star. It will then go along Main Street to Caribou Trail before ending at the Legacy Centre. Some of the bigger trucks will go to the Sawridge truck stop and drivers will be taken to and from the rally by shuttle. The rally, which will include speeches from industry people and politicians, will follow at 1 p.m., also at the Legacy Centre.