Dana Metcalfe says she’s getting help from constitutional experts across Canada to fight charges of disturbing and harassing the premier and his family.

Metcalfe and Shane Sweeney were charged with criminal harassment and causing a disturbance following a “surprise convoy” protest outside Premier Andrew Furey’s home in Portugal Cove-St. Philip’s home back on July 9.

They posted real-time videos of the event, complete with a stream of honking vehicles, smoke flares and protesters denouncing the “sexualization and indoctrination” of kids in the school system.

At one point, Sweeney states, “the premier doesn’t listen to us when we’re at Confederation Building…so here we are.”

But the case has been slow getting out of the gate after Metcalfe’s lawyer, Averill Baker, was suspended by the law society on unrelated issues.

And while Sweeney does have a lawyer, Metcalfe announced in court this morning that she plans to represent herself, later telling VOCM News that she’s getting some professional advice.

“Number one, finding a counsel is this province because of the nature of this, especially where it addresses the premier, has been quite challenging,” she said outside the courtroom. “So I am getting support from constitutional lawyers across the country because this involves my ability to have free speech and to be able to have a voice.”

Adding to the tangle, is the fact that a Crown prosecutor from Nova Scotia has been retained due to conflicts involving the Crown in this province.

Before she was suspended, Baker said the cost of doing that is an injustice in and of itself.

Meanwhile, court heard today that an offer has been put forward to Sweeney from the Crown and his lawyer needs more time to review all of the evidence.

Both accused remain free on conditions, and are due back in court on February 13.