The Alberta Court of Appeal has rejected the appeals of two individuals who were leaders of the 2022 Coutts border blockade. Chris Carbert and Anthony Olienick had been found guilty of mischief and weapons offenses. They sought to have their convictions overturned or their six-and-a-half-year sentences reduced, but the court upheld the original verdicts.
The convictions stemmed from a 2024 trial where Carbert and Olienick were found guilty of committing mischief over $5,000 and possessing a dangerous weapon. Olienick was also convicted of possessing a pipe bomb. The trial judge, David Labrenz, highlighted that the men had armed themselves with the intention of using the weapons against law enforcement.
While the two men were acquitted of a charge related to conspiring to kill RCMP officers, their defense lawyers argued for the convictions to be overturned. Carbert’s lawyer, Katherin Beyak, contended that errors were made in the admissibility of evidence, particularly questioning the legality of the search warrant that led to crucial evidence being seized.
The blockade and protest that Carbert and Olienick were involved in were part of a larger demonstration against COVID-19 restrictions and vaccine mandates at the Sweetgrass-Coutts border crossing. The protest involved using vehicles to obstruct traffic along Highway 4. The arrests of Carbert and Olienick occurred after authorities discovered firearms, ammunition, and body armor in trailers near the blockade site.
In the parole hearing documents, it was revealed that Carbert had spent significant time in jail before the appeal process began. Described as “self-radicalized from internet search” during the pandemic, Carbert expressed regret for his involvement in the protest. Carbert was granted bail in June 2025 pending the appeal outcome, while Olienick was released on bail in January 2026 awaiting the results of his appeal.
