A week before trucks were expected to roll through Saskatchewan as part of the United We Roll! Convoy to Ottawa, two Weyburn outfits were putting their final plans in place to take part.
Weyburn-based oilfield construction specialist Jerry Mainil Ltd. and Benning Farms Inc. will each be sending a semi as part of the convoy.
They will leave early in the morning on Feb. 15, joining the southeast Saskatchewan contingent at Fast Trucking Service鈥檚 yard in Carnduff. The whole group will then head to Virden, Man., to join the main convoy as it progresses eastward on the TransCanada Highway. The rally on Parliament Hill is planned for Feb. 19.
Dale Mainil, Calvin Tracey, Josh Mainil and Darcy McCormick, along with Terry Benning, have been working out the final details, including hotel bookings.
Terry Benning doesn鈥檛 work in the oilpatch. Rather, he owns and operates a large farm in the Weyburn area.
鈥淲e鈥檙e going to Ottawa to support the oil industry, to let this guy know we鈥檙e not happy with what they鈥檙e doing,鈥� said Calvin.
鈥淭hey鈥檙e not supporting Western Canada,鈥� added Dale.
Terry said his reasons include 鈥淭he no-pipeline bill (Bill C-69).鈥�
鈥淚f people don鈥檛 think this will affect agriculture, they鈥檙e wrong,鈥� Terry said. 鈥淓verything is going to go up.鈥�
Dale said, 鈥淚t鈥檚 -40 C this morning. What are we without carbon fuels?鈥�
鈥淚t doesn鈥檛 get much clearer than that,鈥� Terry said.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 why we鈥檙e going to Ottawa. We have to draw a line in the sand,鈥� Dale said, noting that both the oil and the agriculture industries are very good stewards of the land.
鈥淲e need to start promoting that,鈥� he added.
So Jerry Mainil Ltd. will be sending one semi, bobtailing it to Ottawa. Benning Farms Inc. will send one as well, but Terry said, 鈥淚鈥檓 taking a grain trailer, with a little bit of weight for traction.鈥�
Josh Mainil and Kent LaCoste will be driving for Jerry Mainil Ltd., while Calvin and Dale are going to fly to Ottawa to make it to the rally on Feb. 19.
鈥淲e鈥檒l have a contingency of boots on the ground,鈥� Dale said.
Terry said Doug Brownridge will be driving his truck.
Calvin noted they are doing this for the 93 people they have on payroll at Jerry Mainil Ltd. 鈥淲e鈥檝e got a lot of guys who work here.鈥�
Terry noted that there are people in in the industry out of work, who want to work.
Sending a rig and a driver or two is not going to be cheap. Terry estimated the venture will set him back around $5,000, once you count wages, fuel, hotels and food. The Mainils, who will have people flying out as well, are expecting to spend even more.
