Pat King involved in early Freedom Convoy protest planning, court documents show
Convoy participant Pat King was involved in the planning and logistics of the Freedom Convoy protest, despite denials of his participation by organizers, according to court documents obtained by CTV News.
Freedom Convoy organizer Chris Barber and King were in constant contact, routinely texting and calling each other, according to information police seized from Barber’s phone.
Those messages show Barber initially reached out to King on Jan. 14, two weeks before the convoy’s arrival in Ottawa, where he offered to add King as an administrator on the "Take back our Freedoms Convoy 2022" Facebook page.
According to the documents, organizer Tamara Lich called a meeting with Barber and King on Jan. 18, and asked King directly for his network of contacts involved in the protest.
“Can you get me a meeting set up with the road captains?” Lich asked on Jan. 18. “Can you give me an idea of how many drivers each captain is overseeing?”
King was also included on a number of group texts with convoy organizers, outlining strategy and logistics. King’s involvement varied from spreading information about the protest on his podcast, giving updates on Facebook and providing food on the road during the convoy’s trek across Canada.
As the convoy protest gained more attention, questions related to King’s past comments online began to surface. Barber received several messages from protest supporters, highlighting their concerns.
“Hey Chris, still following you guys, but Twitter is going crazy over Pat King saying things that made him sound violent,” one supporter messaged Barber, via TikTok on Jan. 25.
A day later, Lich also echoed concerns about King.
“If he doesn’t stop now and right now he needs to go home Chris. Honestly I hate to do it. I believe a part of his heart is in this for the right reasons but he will bring down this whole thing.”
In one video sent to Barber, King is heard saying, “the only way that this is going to be solved is with bullets."
King has also expressed support for “White Replacement Theory,” a conspiracy theory that promotes fears that Caucasians are being replaced through several means.
As the convoy protest progressed in Ottawa, Barber began to express his own concerns over its association with King and the need to distance the movement from him.
“Pat King needs to go home,” Barber wrote in a message on Feb. 2 to local Alberta convoy organizer Glen Carritt.
On the morning of Feb. 10, King and other supporters slow rolled vehicles around the Ottawa International Airport, limiting access. Barber texted King telling him the airport was “too clogged, we want a presence but not shut down.” King responded by saying the slow roll was completed but wondered why Barber was messaging him since “I have nothing to do with you guys I thought.”
There are several missed calls from King to Barber during the last week of the protest in Ottawa. However, the two men remained in contact until Barber was arrested on Feb. 17.
Barber is currently on bail in Saskatchewan. He is charged with counselling mischief, intimidation, counselling intimidation, counselling obstruction of police, and obstructing police.
Following his arrest on Feb. 18, King remains behind bars in Ottawa and faces charges for mischief, counselling to commit mischief, counselling to commit the offence of disobeying a court order, and counselling to obstruct police
Lich is back in an Ottawa jail, after the Crown alleged she broke her bail conditions by communicating with convoy spokesperson Tom Marazzo at an event in Toronto. She faces a new charge of breach of recognizance, as well as previous charges of mischief, counselling mischief, obstructing police, counselling to obstruct police, counselling intimidation, and intimidation by blocking and obstructing one or more highways in relation to the protest.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Vatican shelves sexual assault probe into Cardinal Marc Ouellet
Pope Francis is declaring that there is not enough evidence to open a canonical investigation for sexual assault against Quebec Cardinal Marc Ouellet. The pontiff made the statement Thursday through the director of the Holy See press office.

BREAKING | Trump Organization CFO pleads guilty in tax evasion case
A top executive at former U.S. President Donald Trump's family business pleaded guilty Thursday to evading taxes in a deal with prosecutors that could potentially make him a star witness against the company at a trial this fall.
Advocates say use of NDAs should be banned in sexual misconduct settlements
In the wake of the Hockey Canada scandal, some advocates are calling for the use of non-disclosure agreements to be banned or restricted in settlement agreements in cases involving abuse.
Majority of people with Omicron don't know they have it: study
A new study has found that more than half of people infected with the Omicron variant of COVID-19 were unaware they had it. Undiagnosed infections could be the reason why the variant spread so rapidly, according to researchers.
Canada-wide shortage of liquid Children's Tylenol now also impacting chewables
A nationwide shortage of liquid Children’s Tylenol is also impacting generic chewables, with Quebec-based Laboratoire Riva reporting a shortage due to rising demand.
No drugs, just lots of dancing at 'wild' party: Finland PM Sanna Marin
Finland's prime minister says she did not take any drugs during a 'wild' party in a private home, adding she did nothing wrong when letting her hair down and partying with friends.
Ontario releases plan to stabilize health-care system amid bed and staffing shortages
The next phase of Ontario's 'Plan to Stay Open' involves transferring of seniors from hospital to alternative long-term care homes, the hiring of thousands of health-care workers and a pledge to reduce surgical backlog.
Ukraine's Zelenskyy hosts talks with UN chief, Turkey leader
Turkey's president and the UN chief met with Ukrainian President Volodymr Zelenskyy on Thursday in a high-stakes bid to ratchet down a war raging for nearly six months, boost desperately needed grain exports and secure the safety of Europe's biggest nuclear power plant.
Keremeos Creek wildfire: B.C. officials lift all evacuation orders, some remain on alert
Local authorities in British Columbia's Okanagan region say all evacuation orders around the so-called Keremeos Creek wildfire near Penticton have been rescinded.
W5 HIGHLIGHTS
Canada has 'abysmal' whistleblower protections, advocates call out Trudeau directly for inaction
Canada ranks among the worst in the world when it comes to protecting whistleblowers, according to a recent report.

Did politics muzzle a doctor who spoke out about the Ontario government's COVID-19 response?
CTV W5's latest investigation: For a year, Dr. Brooks Fallis ran the Critical Care unit at a Brampton Hospital. He openly criticized Premier Ford’s COVID-19 response and was warned by his bosses there could be consequences.

Nearly two decades after working at a pulp mill, workers complain their health was compromised
In 2002, the owners of the mill in Dryden, Ont. started a project to reduce emissions, but workers on the construction project complain that they were exposed to toxic chemicals that damaged their health. CTV's W5 spoke with some of the workers about what they went through.

Sexual abuse in the military: Soldiers speak of systemic problems in a 'toxic culture'
W5 investigates sexual misconduct in the military, and interviews Canadian soldiers who claim they were sexually abused while serving their country.
W5 INVESTIGATES | Parents who kill their own children often exhibit warning signs: experts
Experts say dangerous warning signs are missed in parents who could harm or kill their child. Up to 40 kids are killed this way each year in Canada. CTV W5 looks into why this is happening, and if there are ways to prevent it.
What is a Russian oligarch?
In its latest episode 'Putin's pals', W5 takes an in-depth look into who Russia's oligarchs are, and whether sanctioning them would stop President Vladimir Putin’s invasion in Ukraine.
Private investigator hunts for clues in missing patient cases at North Bay Psychiatric Hospital
Dawn Carisse went missing from the North Bay Psychiatric Hospital more than 2 decades ago. She vanished without a trace. Now a private investigator turned podcaster is finding new clues for her family.
Ketamine and psilocybin, better known as party drugs, showing promise for treatment of mood disorders
W5 investigates an unconventional treatment for severe depression and PTSD that involves the drug ketamine.