‘Yellow vest’ protesters return to Saskatoon City Hall

Yellow jacket clad protesters are sweeping the nation to take a stand.

Originally beginning in France, protesters dressed in yellow high-visibility jackets became well-known across the world as they rallied against the French government’s fuel taxation decisions and other federal policies.

For the second consecutive week, activists dressed in similar attire rallied outside City Hall in Saskatoon to protest the federal government’s carbon tax policy, an international migration pact and other United Nation (UN) policies.

Clarence George saw the rally’s event on Facebook and was compelled to show his disapproval with what’s happening both locally and nationally.

“I’m not really in favour of the current (federal) government’s policy in Ottawa,” he said. “We’re here to stand our ground and make some differences.”

“We don’t have enough money to take care of our servicemen, or take care of our services, but we’re running deficits to send money overseas — there’s something wrong with that picture.”

George admitted he wouldn’t normally find himself at a politically-motivated rally, but felt getting out of his house and sharing his thoughts was a more positive action than stewing in anger at home.

“It’s putting people together,” he said. “We’re all isolated one-on-one, just sitting at home and fuming over some of the policies, and I think this is a way to bring people together and just point out the disappointment we have in this government and their policies.”

Protesters in the crowd hold up signs during speeches.

Much of the anger towards Ottawa at the so-called “yellow vest” rally was grown out of the federal government’s recent decision to sign on to the UN Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration. The main idea behind the compact is that it gives all signees attached to it a framework for handling migrants entering their respective countries.

Three different speakers took to the podium outside City Hall before the crowd of more than 100 people marched through the downtown core.

Mark Friesen was one of the speakers that rallied the crowd for over 30 minutes. Most of his resentment is directed at the UN and its Agenda 21, a non-binding action plan surrounding sustainable development.

“(The rally) is telling the truth about what’s happening,” Friesen said. “Once you read (Agenda 21), you might even say, ‘Hey, that doesn’t sound too bad.’ But you have to understand the cost associated with the sustainable development agenda. $120-trillion by 2030 is what this budget is — and where does that money come from? Taxpayers, ultimately.”

“The tentacles of the sustainable development agenda are far-reaching — from federal, provincial, to municipal.”