He Blessed Us With a Place to Stay

Multiple people bought Ottawa hotel rooms for British Columbia protesters.

Part 1: The Flatbed with the Roof Truss Sign

Photos posted to Facebook by Bern. His remarks begin: ‘I know a lot of you are concerned with what’s going on in Ottawa, maybe this will help ease your minds. Andy and I went for a 3km skate on the Rideau Canal, in the most uncomfortable pair of skates my feet have ever been subjected to…”

In addition to the public support they were receiving in Ottawa, Bern and Andy were also being nurtured by folks back home, in beautiful British Columbia. The bunk in Bern’s truck only sleeps one, so a hotel room was a definite bonus. The first day they were in Ottawa, a former co-worker texted Bern, asked where they were parked, and then “got us a hotel room close by.”

Next, their Member of Parliament, Bob Zimmer with the Conservative Party, “bought us a couple nights stay,” says Bern. After that, Andy’s dad paid for a night.

It soon became clear that their group, as a whole, would benefit from having access to a shared hotel room where calls of nature could be answered and showers taken. “We had just found out that we could secure that room for a month,” says Bern, when a friend “contacted me and was wondering how he could support us.” Since $200 paid for a night, Bern asked if he’d be interested in doing so.

“And this fine fella said, ‘Well, I’ll pay for the week. And then, at the end of the week, let me know. I just wanna pay for that room until you guys are done.’ Like wow, that just blows your socks off…he just blessed us with a place to stay.”

While Andy was four provinces away his wife was able to keep their carpet cleaning business going with help from friends and her father.  During a February 7th podcast, Bern declared: “I miss my family like crazy,” noting that it now seemed likely he’d miss his eldest son’s upcoming birthday, “I want to see them, but at the same time support from home, in Fort St John, has been so tremendous. I know my family’s in good hands.”

As an example, he reported that following a recent substantial snowfall, his boss

texted me early in the morning. He’s like, ‘Can you let your wife know I’ll be by with a skid-steer mid-afternoon, I’ll clear your driveway.’…Barely got off the phone with him, my neighbour says ‘Hey, let your wife know I’ll be by in just a little bit with a skid-steer’…And then a friend of mine who has been a significant contributor to this, as well, said ‘Hey, some of my guys are going to be in the area. Do you want them to stop by and clean your driveway?’

Before Bern had a chance to respond to everyone, his wife told him that Jim, another person altogether, had taken care of it.

next installment: Were the Police Internally Conflicted?