Freeman-on-the-Land armed land seizure - northern Alberta

[notorial dissent]

Things have become very quiet online on this matter. Petrova has stopped making public comments, I suspect as her lawyer told her that was a very poor idea.

And she actually listened and complied, AMAZING!!!! Wonder how long it will last.

[Stumped:)]

Considering the weather in this area over the last few days they should be thankful they were arrested when they were....brrrr.

I have missed her facebook posts though.

[Hilfskreuzer Möwe]

It appears Paul Fiola has obtained bail, as he has resumed posting on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/LeetPrime8). No idea when that happened.

This continues to imply that Fiola and Petrova have legal representation, and are listening to their lawyer. I am very curious to see whether that will lead to cooperation with government investigation into Zachow and the North Western People's Embassy and its antics. We could see some very interesting trials in the next couple years.

SMS Möwe

[notorial dissent]

I suspect it will be obvious that they are no longer listening to their lawyer if the stupid starts leaking back on to their pages. Since it is apparent they can't seem to just keep it to themselves. Must be mighty lonely in there.

[Hilfskreuzer Möwe]

So I have what I think is a rather intriguing find:

• Infinite Nations: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k1-XcjFFV2c

This video is a part of a set of videos shot in February 2013 at an event called “Evolver Calgary – the January Spore”. This appears to be one of eleven videos shot on the same day, in the same location. The event in question is described on these websites (http://www.meetup.com/EvolverCalgary/events/100819082/) (https://www.facebook.com/events/242374369229488):

With the immense challenges facing our planet, The Evolver Network is ushering in 2013 with a network-wide call to action, bringing all fellow change-agents together for citywide convergences across our international community. This event will be a collective journey into the unlimited potential of community collaboration.

…

It is our intention to bring together the people, projects, and resources that exist in abundance in this beautiful city. Just as our brains are constantly forming new connections through our experiences, our intention is to create new synapses between the neurons of the Calgary community.

The first ten videos are a grim set of new-age leftish occupista neohippy rubbish - no hint of Sovereign/Freeman material. The last video, however, is much more interesting. This 15 minute session is identified in the schedule as “Infinite Nations with Andreas and Preston Turner”.

What we have here is a sales pitch by Senior Chief Justice of the Tacit Supreme In Law Courts Andreas Pirelli / Mario Antonacci and his associates for persons to purchase the land plots as part of their illegal Crown land acquisition scheme which ultimately led to the Grande Prairie squats.

There are three persons who speak on the video, but it starts with a disturbing hippy/occupista dance and jiggle session. You’ve been warned.

The video is of three speakers posing in front of a Powerpoint presentation of Infinite Nations propaganda. The first speaker is a Freeman-on-the-Land type speaker, Ken Walker. I do not recognize this individual. He spouts the usual rhetoric:

• 2:30 – Canada is owned by shareholders
  3:45 – destroy your personal ID so policy enforcers can’t do anything to you
  4:45 – endorse’s Menard’s “96 is your fix”

The second speaker in Preston Piotresson, the apparent leader of the Infinite Nations branch of the United Sovran Nations. He describes himself and promises that there is a program underway for new communities.

• 6:30 – Preston Piotresson – he is a 18 year Sovereign
  8:00 – we are building a community with thousands of people, hundreds of homes

The last speaker is Antonacci as “Andreas Pirelli”.

• 9:30 – introduction
  9:35 – have close to 2000 acres 1 hour from Calgary
  9:45 – facilities at present for 150 people, paperwork is being finished
  9:50 – building will begin in the spring, with 1-2 acres per family
  10:00 – different options for different budgets – this is not for profit
  10:40 – will have a “powerful organization” to help you, since mortgages are a fraud
  10:55 – have own private bank with “bank fees” rather than interest
  11:00 – all buildings are self-sustaining
  11:20 – building off pre-existing building capable of holding 150 persons
  11:30 – this will be a private community only – no public involvement
  12:00 – acquired 640 acres near Grande Prairie

Very interesting – so this is how the squat was promoted to its marketplace. This also establishes beyond any question that Antonacci and his associates are behind the Grande Prairie squat.

A Facebook page for a related event, “Intro To being a Sovran With Infinite Nations“(https://www.facebook.com/events/4560784 ... pe=regular), a few months later, illustrates the overall goal of this group:

Come join us in learning Who we are what we are doing and how this all came about.

As many see the hundreds of documentaries showing how the world is in jeopardy, the people are suffering, and the systems our ancestors created have turned on the people but then offer at best an idea of what could be done to change things. This is NOT like those, this is about a REAL alternative. This is about an amazing and empowering vehicle to achieve a life in a new Nation, a Nation without borders a Nation for all the people of the world as equals.

Come learn how to free yourselves and choose to a live a life where you are self governing and take part in co-creating a new system for the people of the world. Also come and hear about the many new sustainable communities that will be a part of this new Nation and how they are different than any other communities you may have seen.

So if you want to learn more about an exciting new tool that will give people the ability to eat REAL food, live in homes that are truly UN-PLUGGED, be stewards of the land and actually be able to protect that land against those who would pillage it. Learn how to create abundance while having control in how you contribute to your community. Come share in this event with us.

This event will include Tea and coffee and is bring your own lunch and snacks as a short break will happen in the middle.

There is a fee for this event which is used to support the operational costs of the nation and the costs for this event. We ask that a Contribution of 4 oz of Silver or Equivalent, also for those who have yet to find abundance barter of time may be available.

The original Infinite Nations website (http://InfiniteNations.org/) is gone, however the Infinite Nations Facebook group (https://www.facebook.com/groups/InfiniteNations/) remains. Most of its content is just typical leftist/Freeman copypasta. Discussion of the squat program has either been discontinued or deleted.

On a related note, I earlier reported that the North Watchmen People’s Embassy website was gone – it is back (http://nw-pe.org/). The content appears unchanged. I have not detected any further activity from that group or its apparent leader, Larry Zachow.

SMS Möwe

[Burnaby49]

Well. That dancing was truly horrible. But I learned something! The definition of Peace is;

Proper
Education
Always
Correct
Error

However a bit of nitpicking. Shouldn't that be Corrects? Anyhow the slideshow was very impressive. Their squat looked like paradise. If you're going to build castles in the air why not have rec centres, windmills, and party rooms? Another bit of nitpicking; I'm not sure that pictures of yoga babes meditating on surf-swept beaches are entirely appropriate images for a development outside of Calgary where the nearest ocean is over 600 miles away on the far, far side of the Rocky Mountains. On the plus side they offer innovative financing! None of those fraudulent long-term mortgages but instead 30 year loans. Sounds entirely different than a mortgage.

Did you actually slog through ten videos of total dross to find this one gold coin in the dung-heap? If so you display a diligence beyond my understanding.

[grixit]

Wait-- was that Fair Trade tea and coffee?

[Hilfskreuzer Möwe]

... Did you actually slog through ten videos of total dross to find this one gold coin in the dung-heap? If so you display a diligence beyond my understanding.

Absolutely not! Oh gods, no! I have an extremely low tolerance for this kind of material and I was luckily able to identify the one interesting video in the set via my searches. I only then later and VERY briefly surfed through the remaining videos to ensure I'd not missed another related subject material.

I can handle a couple hours of minister Belanger (particularly in a homeless shelter!) whining about being 'intimidated ... they intimidated me ...' but this hippy/occupista stuff? I avoid that except only for serious research purposes.

Which leads to a realistic possibility that I have missed relevant material that involves Rob Inthe Pagefamily - but I just hit that threshold and ... nope, that's enough.

SMS Möwe

[redbird]

Redbird, if you’re skulking around, I’d love to hear any perspective you could offer. In an earlier message you say that the squat promoters have split – the Indians have been left out but another group is now merrily selling plots of “allodial land” – would that be the North Watchmen People’s Embassy?

Yes, I'm here. Its been awhile since I was on. I see you've figured everything out. Yes, Mr. Z has been selling the land and all the fake papers to go with it to dubes and they are STILL buying the land. These idoits plan on moving up to the land as soon as it dries up enough. Mr. Z and his indian friend are still collecting silver, I think it's still 10 or 20 pieces of silver and the new land owners must sign lots of papers (and paying an additional $1,000+ for the privilege of signing the papers) and agreeing not to sue Mr. Z or anyone else involved. If the new land owners try to go to the cops, then Mr. Z will take them to court and sue them for breach of promise or something like that. Mr. Z is some uppty-up guy in the embassy and from what I've heard, he was fired and now he is just selling the land without the embassy's blessing.

[Hilfskreuzer Möwe]

Thanks again for the data, Redbird - much appreciated.

One more question - where is Zachow advertising this land purchase scam? I have looked for it online without luck. Do you know how he is connecting with his customers/victims?

SMS Möwe

[redbird]

One more question - where is Zachow advertising this land purchase scam? I have looked for it online without luck. Do you know how he is connecting with his customers/victims?

He's a sneaky used car salesman kinda guy. He does not advertise anywhere for his land-scam he has a faithful following who come to some kind of "like-minded" meetings every Wednesday and they share this "good deal" to all their friends and family and so on. Mr. Z is not stupid enough to sign his name to the land sales, he gets other dubes to "sell" the property for him. Not sure exactly how it works as I'm getting this information 2nd-hand, but I did see all the paperwork and Mr. Z has not signed the actual titles, etc. I'm waiting to see what happens in the spring when the fools try to move onto "their" land.

[redbird]

One more thing, Mr. Z and RobinthePage Family, the embassy, the land-scam and Glenn of the house of Fern are all in the same group.

[Hilfskreuzer Möwe]

Again, your intel is very welcome Redbird. I had suspected the link between Zachow and Page given they have conducted promotions at the same events, but Fearn's participation is a bit of a surprise. This is really a question of these being old-time acquaintances rather than perfectly aligned ideological fellow travellers, isn't it?

Any comments on whether minister Belanger is also involved? It doesn't seem to me to be Belanger's kind of thing, but then again Belanger has also pointedly not commented when I asked him about it.

Then there's Robert Menard, who travelled to Alberta, attended at least one event run by Antonacci, and was then in Edmonton for awhile. My take is he may have been scoping out the plan to sell Crown land - but probably didn't buy into it himself. Correct?

I hope you're incorrect that there is another wave of squatting about to hit when spring arrives - but if so, the authorities will likely be much better prepared to react a second time. Somehow I doubt any paperwork signed by the marks will protect Zachow, if the police come around.

SMS Möwe

[Hilfskreuzer Möwe]

And now, its time for train-wreck in Grande Prairie, part two.

Paul Fiola and Shaunda Petrova have begun posting in public again.

• Fiola's Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/LeetPrime8
  
  Petrova's Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/iam.nothere.3150
  
  New: Petrova's blog on her legal adventures, titles "Tales of a Forest Fairy": http://forestprincess.wordpress.com/

I suggested, awhile ago, that the fact the duo have retained counsel and had gone quiet online meant they had figured things out. Wrong. No, they're still going ahead with their "we really own the land, really!" argument. The blog is an account of Petrova's in-court and legal activities. Not too much there, at least yet.

But here's where we get to have confirmed just how far down the rabbit-hole these two are (http://www.facebook.com/iam.nothere.315 ... 1528471167).

Ugh. They're actually citing FreedomClub Canada - citing Eldon Warman.

This is not going to end well for them, particularly if Redbird is correct and Petrova/Fiola are the tip of the iceberg.

The point where my intellectual curiosity is piqued is that the blog identified their lawyer as "Chris Millsap", and there is indeed a Christopher Dean Millsap who is a member of the Alberta law society, and who practices at a criminal defence firm (http://libertylaw.ca/). Mr. Millsap has an interesting challenge ahead, because if his clients do want him to argue their activities were legal, then that means advancing OPCA concepts. And it's pretty clear that is grounds for trouble: Meads v. Meads, 2012 ABQB 571 at paras. 643-645.

Perhaps I'm missing something obvious, but it seems to me the only potentially valid legal defence would be to argue that the scam was so convincing that my clients believed it. And here, as evidence, is my clients still believing it.

Would be interesting to watch.

Petrova in her blog says there's a nice community she's hanging out with who introduced her to the squatting scam but has not detailed it. Yet. With luck that will change.

SMS Möwe

[redbird]

Any comments on whether minister Belanger is also involved? It doesn't seem to me to be Belanger's kind of thing, but then again Belanger has also pointedly not commented when I asked him about it.

Yes they are the best of buds, both are "ministers" and both attest to the same thing.

[arayder]

And now, its time for train-wreck in Grande Prairie, part two.

Paul Fiola and Shaunda Petrova have begun posting in public again. . . .

Ugh. They're actually citing FreedomClub Canada - citing Eldon Warman.

SMS Möwe

Yes, this page of FreedomClub is pure Eldon Warman: http://canadafcusa.wordpress.com/common ... explained/

On this page http://canadafcusa.wordpress.com/tax/ta ... d-illegal/ he even repeats the claim that his wife, who committed suicide early in his detax career, was really killed by the FBI.

[Hilfskreuzer Möwe]

Hmm. The North Watchman Peoples Embassy website has been "suspended":

• http://nw-pe.org/cgi-sys/suspendedpage.cgi

And the http://freedom999.getenjoyment.net/ website is also gone.

That's the end of the Tacit Supreme In Law Court / United Sovran Nations online presence - they're history.

SMS Möwe

[Hilfskreuzer Möwe]

Hi Paul (“Anone Moose” - https://www.facebook.com/LeetPrime8)!

Hi Shaunda (“Iam NotHere - https://www.facebook.com/iam.nothere.3150)!

I noticed you recently were posting on Rob Menard’s Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/robert.menard. ... 6720450410), and Shaunda had this to say:

‪

Iam NotHere
I wonder if this is that same Mowe who write all kinds of things about my husband and I in Quatloos... I've never responded or argued with him he is not worth arguing with. The 'intel' he brings back to his group of 'followers' is off base and ass backwards that it is obvious has has no clue about truth.
[June 11, 2014]

I found your comment interesting, and I hope you don’t mind that I’ve taken this opportunity to share a few thoughts. Please don’t feel you have to respond – you don’t. Merely I watch situations such as the one in which you two have placed yourselves, and I hope you would not criticize me overly for making a few suggestions and observations.

As far as I am aware you are facing criminal proceedings in Alberta. I have read your Blog and Facebook posts, particularly those by Shaunda, and it appears to me that your plan is to argue that you are not guilty of illegal occupation of Crown lands because those are, instead, your private property that you purchased by certain undisclosed means.

I’d like to make a few observations on that.

First, if you actually have valid title to this property, why not publically disclose the documentation that establishes such? You could do so on your Facebook pages, Shaunda’s blog, via the media. I’ll be honest – I cannot imagine what kind of documentation you possess that would establish ownership – but my imagination and knowledge is limited. It’s very possible that myself and others would, upon seeing these materials, recognize our error.

I believe I have read you have been instructed by the individuals who sold you this property to not disclose these documents. Why do you think that is? We all know that you will need to enter those items as exhibits in your impending trial if you do intend to rely on those as a defence for your activities. As exhibits they will be public documents – available to any to read and copy. So why keep them secret – particularly if they are a full and complete defence?

I will offer you a hypothesis – it is nothing more – a thought experiment. If I were a scammer I would prefer to minimize the exposure of my scam in the general public because that way I can avoid criticism and scrutiny. I would, for example, tell my marks that the paperwork that I claim has profound effect is subject to copyright, to patent, to all manner of special privacy interest, that to disclose such would allow me, the scammer, to nullify the effect of those documents. Why? Because that way other potential marks will not learn of my ‘secret’ techniques – research them, and understand my scam is just that.

If you are interested I am quite sure that this group does exactly that (viewtopic.php?f=49&t=9345). They will not show the people who pay them the documents they send to banks, courts, and so on. I think that is extremely unpleasant. Evil. I have had the unpleasant direct experience of watching people who are losing their homes then spend their remaining funds to these persons … for nothing. It bothers me greatly.

But I digress.

So – let’s take another step. I will assume you accept that if you disclose your land ownership documentation to the public then that act will miracle away ownership of the land.

(And I’m not certain one could enforce an agreement of that kind because a secret agreement still must be subject to court scrutiny – here’s a case about that, by the way: Union Carbide Canada Inc. v. Bombardier Inc., 2014 SCC 35 (http://canlii.ca/t/g6s8c).)

So – why not get a legal opinion on that? Don’t go to a criminal law lawyer – this isn’t their specialty. Instead, find a local lawyer who specializes in real estate purchase and sale. There’s lots of them – it’s a common activity. Ask for an interview, and then do a routine straight out of Breaking Bad – the lawyer will probably be tickled pink to play Saul Goodman for a day. Give him or her a Loonie. Show him or her the documents. Ask him or her – are these legit?

The lawyer can’t talk to anyone about those materials because of solicitor-client privilege. Their professional duty to you is to be honest and forthright – the lawyer is employed by you, and answers only to you. See what the lawyer says.

Since I’ve never seen your documents I can only guess at the response. But what’s the harm? At best, you have a legal opinion that you can use to continue to trial with confidence. At worst, you will gain an understanding of the arguments that will be used against you.

And no one has to know. Solicitor-client privilege. Don’t you owe it to yourselves to at least ask?

Ok, here’s another thought. Let’s say you want to cut things off at the neck. You can go to a superior court (in this case the Alberta Court of Queen’s Bench) and ask that court for a declaration on whether or not your documents create a valid interest in land. If that court decides in your favour then it seems to me that you cannot be found guilty of your land-related criminal charges. The matter ends. I would recommend you go to a lawyer for help on how to do that, but if you want, you can do it yourself.

If the people who sold you that land say you should not do that – perhaps ask why? Wouldn’t they, too, benefit?

Why not contact the Alberta Land Titles Office (http://www.servicealberta.ca/landtitles.cfm)? They are public servants – servants for you. If you have valid land ownership documents – why not register them – so everyone knows you own that land. It seems logical to me that that too would end the land-occupation criminal charges you face.

My next observation is the product of a suspicious mind. Kindly do not fault me – I’ve seen a lot of less than exemplary human behavior and so my expectations are low. Have you investigated the people who took your money and claim to have given you land? I’ve ‘Googled’ some names that came up. I’ve also entered those names in the CanLII database (http://www.canlii.org/). You know more names. Can it hurt to look?

My understanding is that at least some of the people who have promoted this scheme claim to be aboriginal persons with authority. Do you know what First Nation with which they claim to have authority? Why not call the Band Office of that First Nation – ask if that is true. In my experience legitimate Indian leaders are very honest about their position, and about people who play games and claim false authority. There are scoundrels who have long abused aboriginal people – some are fellow aboriginals. Again – what’s the harm? A few phone calls and you will know more. How can it hurt?

My last observation is perhaps a little unorthodox. I can understand why you may not trust me. You know, suspicious reporting, repeating things that may arguably not be true, government shill, banana freighter, and so on. I don’t have a lot of confidence in many in the Freeman/Sovereign/Detaxer world. I don’t hide it. But I’ve also encountered some straight-shooters. There’s a guy who uses the alias “bmxninja357” on the World Freeman Society forums. I think this is his website (http://freedomandtruth.ning.com/). I believe his name is David Kannler but I don’t know that for certain. Anyway – bmxninja knows the Edmonton-area Freeman/Sovereign/Detaxer crowd inside out – and he is as honest a person as I could suggest to talk about those people.

It might not hurt to sound him out. If he says the people who say they sold you that land have issues, I’d pay attention. If he says they have played others straight? That to is good to know.

Again, what can it hurt to investigate.

So, those are my (lengthy) thoughts. I hope you do investigate because it’s your lives that are in play. You will face the consequences if you choose wrong. I could comment on the attitude of Alberta courts to OPCA litigants but I suspect you know all about that. If you don’t, read CanLII.

Though Shaunda has been explicit that she does not want a dialogue – which I respect – you are nevertheless welcome to direct questions to me in private or public. I have a strict policy: I only make honest answers and I answer to the best of my capacity. So if you want me (and others here) to comment on the documents upon which you plan your defence – I’ll do my best to point at law that is or is not consistent with those materials.

For what it’s worth.

A small personal note: your kitten is very cute. Best wishes for a very long shared friendship. Feline friends and acquaintances have been a blessing in my life; they are an extraordinary species.

SMS Möwe

[Fmotlgroupie]

I suppose that it's time for an update on Shaunda and Paul. Let's start with the actual facts, which is the briefest part. Trial had been scheduled this month but it was postponed, apparently because the Crown's witnesses weren't available, and a pre-trial conference is scheduled for next month to set a new trial date. Shaunda claims that the charges relating to the interactions with a trapper (the uttering threats and use of a firearm in the commission of an offence I guess) have been dropped, but that Paul is still on strict bail conditions. If this is true I would guess that he is still facing a Criminal Code charge for possessing a firearm while prohibited from doing so (I'm basing these charges from the press articles at the time of his arrest). As to the other charges, Shaunda has posted back in March at her blog an information sworn by a wildlife officer, and her own (fairly perceptive) interpretation:

Count 1

On or between the 21st day of May, 2013, and the 8th day of October, 2013, at or near Grande prairie, in the Province of Alberta, did enter and occupy public land for any purpose without authorization from the Director or an officer, contrary to section 20(1)(e) of the Public Lands Act, and did thereby commit and offence contrary to section 56(1)(d) of the Public Lands Act, evidence of the said offence having first come to the attention of the Director on or after Mat 21, 2013.

Count 2

On or between the 11th day of June, 2013, and the 8th day of October, 2013, at or near Grande Prairie, in the Province of Alberta, did fail to comply with and order of the Director under section 47.1 of the Public Lands Act, to wit: to vacate the Crown lands no later than 12:00 noon on Monday, June 10th, 2013, and did thereby commit an offence contrary to section 56(1)(f) of the Public Lands Act, evidence of the said offence having come to the attention of the Director on or after June 11, 2013.

Count 3

On or between the 11th day of June, 2013, and the 8th day of October, 2013, at or near Grande Prairie, in the Province of Alberta, did fail to comply with and order of the Director under section 47.1 of the Public Lands Act, to wit: to remove all improvements, chattels or structures constructed or placed on the Crown lands, including but not limited to a dark colored blue/green pickup truck with Manitoba license plate FPY-616 on the front, a wall tent, canoe and other miscellaneous camping related items and any other personal property, no later than 12:00 noon on Monday, June 10th, 2013, and did thereby commit an offence contrary to section 56(1)(f) of the Public Lands Act, evidence of the said offence having come to the attention of the Director on or after June 11, 2013.

Count 4

On or between the 11th day of June, 2013, and the 8th day of October, 2013, at or near Grande Prairie, in the Province of Alberta, did fail to comply with and order of the Director under section 47.1 of the Public Lands Act, to wit: to remove all waste and debris from the Crown lands no no later than 12:00 noon on Monday, June 10th, 2013, and did thereby commit an offence contrary to section 56(1)(f) of the Public Lands Act, evidence of the said offence having come to the attention of the Director on or after June 11, 2013.

Count 5

On or between the 11th day of June, 2013, and the 8th day of October, 2013, at or near Grande Prairie, in the Province of Alberta, did fail to comply with and order of the Director under section 47.1 of the Public Lands Act, to wit: to not reoccupy any other public lands in the Province of Alberta without valid authorization issued by Environment and Sustainable resource Development, and did thereby commit an offence contrary to section 56(1)(f) of the Public Lands Act, evidence of the said offence having come to the attention of the Director on or after June 11, 2013.

Count 6

On or between the 11th day of June, 2013, and the 8th day of October, 2013, at or near Grande Prairie, in the Province of Alberta, did willfully cut, damage, destroy, or cause to be vut, damaged or destroyed ant forest growth on forest land without authorization under the Forests Act or the Regulations under the Forests Act, contrary to section 10 of the Forests Act, and did thereby commit an offence contrary to section 50(1)(f) of the Forests Act, evidence of the said offence having first come to the attention of the Director on or about October 7th, 2013.

So, after looking through the Public Lands Act and the Forests Act this is my understanding of the charges against me.

**DISCLAIMER – THIS IS NO ADMISSION OF GUILT OR INNOCENCE, JUST WHAT I UNDERSTAND THE CHARGES AGAINST ME TO BE!**

Count 1 – You stayed in the forest, that we believe to be public land, too long and without permission.

Count 2 – We told you to go and you didn’t.

Count 3 – When you didn’t go you also did not take your belongings.

Count 4 – When you didn’t go you also didn’t take your garbage.

Count 5 – Hmm, failed to comply with an order not to reoccupy. So, when I didn’t leave I also came back? Whatever…. redundant, redundant, redundant![no, it's just covering off the defence of "we left we just came back. Neener-neener!]

Count 6 – Willfully destroyed and damaged the forest.

The next month she complained that her lawyer was incompetent because he wrote to her to say he would be defending her on charges under the firearms act and petty trespass act (the former is federal and the latter provincial, so I don't know which crown would end up running the prosecution on behalf of both). I can well imagine that those charges would be sworn on a separate information (by the RCMP I suppose) from the Wildlife charges, but there's no indication which are actually going ahead.





Shaunda and Paul's general circumstances are that they are living in Grand Prairie, mostly off of Shaunda's disability insurance (apparently from a private insurance - possibly a benefit of Shaunda's job way back when?) but also from Paul's intermittently working (posts alternate between celebrating new jobs and lamenting how hard it is to get a job with Paul's unenviable google results - note to Freemen: change your name to John Smith. Things are stretched tight enough (even before the legal bills have really come in) that they have set up a GoFundMe page http://www.gofundme.com/bhyxgc . Sadly the "everyone's freedom depends on our legal battle to prove the validity of ridiculously forged legal title" argument is going nowhere fast (they have received only $50 towards their $5000 goal, in one anonymous, possibly pump-priming, contribution.). It can't be easy putting yourself out there like that to ask for money, so there's some real pathos in this non-result.

Both Shaunda and Paul have busy Facebook lives, interesting mostly for a few facts:
-they both repost American memes about the right to bear arms (not a legal right in Canada, especially for Paul who seems to be prohibited from owning firearms (I.e. he was convicted of assault etc. and the judge gave him a firearms prohibition under S109 or S110 as part of his sentence.) I think that, especially if Paul is only on bail for the firearms charges, these two are a good example of GUNS ONLY MAKE FREEMAN SITUATIONS WORSE, for everyone involved.
-Paul at least is still in touch with Shaunda's ex, notable white supremacist Bill Noble
-they are aware of the recent Supreme Court decision on the Xenia Gwet'in's rights to uncle des land in BC. They think it applies to them, which is wrong because 1) the prairies were all ceded by numbered treaties, 2) Native land can't generally be sold to non-natives, and 3) they were dealing with scammers instead of the band councils.
-Shaunda (I think) has started a Facebook group on their case, www.facebook.com/privatelandrights. The group-leader posts as follows: "We have NOTHING to hide. We are completely law abiding people. We have legal paperwork in order. I will answer ANY questions you might have openly and honestly! No one in government will ever do that." Time for an Access to Information request, Mowe?
-there's a terrible photo of the "Alloidal Land Patent" that got them into this mess.
https://scontent-a-sea.xx.fbcdn.net/hph ... 1441_n.png All you can see is that the scammers can more or less use a word processor, own a colour printer, and like to use red thumb prints in the signature block. Hopefully we get a better look one day.
-(I'm basically Facebook-illiterate so that's all I got. Anyone who can browse more than a week back could definitely find more)

As to legal strategies, Paul and Shaunda still each have separate lawyers, neither if whom they seem to trust.

Got another letter from my lawyer this week confirming my court date, that I need to present myself and that he will be my defender.
The letter still says he is defending me on charges I am not charged with and he has yet to make an appointment with me to ask what sort of defense I would like him to present as my representative.
I was coerced into obtaining representation under duress.
How can I have any confidence this representative, with allegiance to the same government who accuses me and clearly doesn't even understand my charges, will present my truth?

And this is a privately hired lawyer. Talk about not wanting what you're paying for. Fortunately they're trying to bypass their lawyers:

In the meantime, (outside of working with our lawyers, and without their prior knowledge) Notices were mailed to the Crown, the judge, and Paul's lawyer on our behalf and bearing the signatures of the parties involved in the other part of the Private Purchase Agreement.
. . .
Paul finally forced his lawyer to physically see the documents by turning them over and putting them in front of his face.

Paul has a post asking for money so he can get his evidence notarized, so apparently his lawyer's explanation of how useful affidavit evidence is in a Criminal trial must have gone over his head.

So, the safe bet is that sometime around the new year these two will arrive in court to try to impose their version of reality on the world. Will their lawyers talk them out of it? Will they withdraw or be stuck representing crazy people who don't want them? (It's an honest question - I see a but of the Law from the outside but I know nothing about this). Will it be a long, exhausting process that yields Shaunda a fine and Oaul a fine and time served? Almost certainly yes.

The really compelling posting, to me at least, postings are on Shaunda's blog, http://forestprincess.wordpress.com , accurately subtitled "A Life Exposed". Shaunda shares a lot, most of it her baking and gardening projects, but also a lot of specifics on her history, some of the trauma she's been through, her medical challenges, and her thoughts. She is definitely a true believer in the whole tinfoil-hat/freeman spectrum, and in fact met Paul through that interest rather than him dragging her into it. I won't repeat what she says, because much of it just seems too personal to comment on, but there's a fascinatingly open window into one FMOTL's mind for those who are curious.

[grixit]

I'm curious about the outdoorspersons' community. I wonder if they're on their own forums complaining about the fact that they pay all kinds of fees, and have to fill out a lot of paperwork before they can get to the fun part. But now there's some lunatics out there who don't pay, possibly mess up the public lands, and might even be a physical threat. Are they organizing a mutual warning system? Petitioning for faster law enforcement response? Taking pistols as well as rifles with them just in case?