Business

Legal response filed to protect Chris Barber’s truck ‘Big Red’ from government forfeiture

By Western Standard News Services

Copyright westernstandard

Legal response filed to protect Chris Barber’s truck 'Big Red' from government forfeiture

The federal government is attempting to take Chris Barber’s 2004 Kenworth long-haul truck, “Big Red,” threatening the livelihood of a Saskatchewan family-run trucking business over a peaceful protest.Barber, a trucker and businessman, faces the government’s bid to classify his truck — worth more than $150,000 — as “offence-related property” after his conviction for mischief and obstruction tied to the 2022 Freedom Convoy. His lawyers argue the move is heavy-handed, punitive, and economically devastating.Police themselves directed Barber where to park the truck on Wellington St. and approved slow-moving demonstrations, even ordering the vehicle out of the downtown core. .Barber’s legal team says the government’s claim that the truck was used to commit a crime is baseless.“Big Red is a working truck that supports not only Chris but his family and employees,” said constitutional lawyer Diane Magas. “Seizing it would strip away their ability to earn a living. The law was never meant to punish Canadians by taking the tools they need to provide for themselves.”Barber called the seizure “misguided” and warned of the real-world consequences. .“This truck is the heart of my business. Taking it away wouldn’t just punish me — it would take away my ability to provide for my family and employees,” he said.The Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms filed a formal response asking the court to dismiss the Crown’s application, framing the government’s move as an alarming overreach that could set a dangerous precedent for hardworking Canadians..Due to a high level of spam content being posted, all comments undergo manual approval by a staff member during regular business hours (Monday – Friday). Your patience is appreciated.