COVID-19
Trial of Chris Barber and Tamara Lich continues in Ottawa Court
From The Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms
The Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms announces that the trial of Chris Barber and Tamara Lich resumes today, August 13, 2024 – eleven months after their trial began in September 2023. Mr. Barber and Ms. Lich were criminally charged in February 2022 after peacefully exercising their Charter freedoms of expression, association, and peaceful assembly during the Freedom Convoy protest in Ottawa. Thirty months ago, they were charged with mischief, intimidation, obstructing a highway, obstructing a police officer, and counselling others to commit the same offences.
In January and February 2022, thousands of Canadians travelled from coasts and mountains and prairies to the nation’s capital to protest mandatory vaccination policies, which turned millions of Canadians into second-class citizens if they did not get injected with the Covid vaccine.
In British Columbia, dissenting healthcare workers and firefighters were fired. In Nova Scotia, judges were pressured into getting injected and threatened with consequences for choosing not to do so. In Quebec, government officials threatened a tax on the unvaccinated. Across Canada, conscientious objectors were fired from their jobs, suspended from their university programs, and prevented from travelling. Cross-border Covid vaccine mandates particularly affected Canadian truckers.
Mr. Barber and Ms. Lich were arrested on February 17, 2022–one day before the brutal police crackdown on Ottawa protestors. This occurred after the federal government illegally invoked the Emergencies Act, for the first time ever, on February 14, 2022.
Their trial began on September 5, 2023, and was originally scheduled to last 16 days. Now, nearly one year later, their trial is nearing 40 days of court time.
Chris Barber, a trucker and trucking company owner from Swift Current, Saskatchewan, pleaded not guilty to all charges on April 23, 2023. Diane Magas, defence counsel for Mr. Barber, has consistently argued that he acted peacefully and lawfully throughout his time in Ottawa.
“Crown prosecutors in Ontario claim that they do not have enough resources to prosecute people accused of sexual assault and other serious crimes. People accused of serious crimes are walking away without facing trial because of extreme delays, supposedly caused by the Crown lacking adequate resources. Yet the Crown has devoted massive amounts of its limited time and energy to prosecuting peaceful protesters who exercised their fundamental Charter freedoms,” stated John Carpay, President of the Justice Centre.
“The Justice Centre continues to receive donations from Canadians to pay for the legal defence of Chris Barber in this lengthy trial. Donations are eligible for an official tax receipt,” concluded Mr. Carpay.
COVID-19
Freedom Convoy’s Tamara Lich shares heartfelt letter from children: ‘God will be by your side’
From LifeSiteNews
Ahead of the announcement of the verdict from her trial in Canada, the Freedom Convoy co-leader posted on X the ‘beautiful letter’ from a 4-year-old and 8-year-old.
With a few weeks until a verdict is released, Freedom Convoy leader Tamara Lich shared a heartwarming letter she received from a child, who told her to “keep fighting” for everyone and that “God will protect” her from the “enemy.”
Lich shared an image of the letter Thursday on X, writing, “Feels like a good day to share this beautiful letter I received from some very wise children.”
The letter, which was handwritten and sent to Lich by 4-year-old Zavier and 8-year-old Alanis, has the title “God loves You.”
“Thank you for fighting for everyones FREEDOM. God will be by your side and God will protect you from the enemy,” the letter reads.
“With God everything is possible. Stay strong we are praying for you every step of the journey.”
Lich was arrested on February 17, 2022, in Ottawa. Co-leader Chris Barber was arrested the same day.
Lich and Barber’s trial concluded in September 2024, more than a year after it began. It was originally scheduled to last 16 days.
As reported by LifeSiteNews, Lich and Barber’s verdict will be announced on March 12.
They both face a possible 10-year prison sentence. LifeSiteNews reported extensively on their trial.
As reported by LifeSiteNews, Lich recently spelled out how much the Canadian government has spent prosecuting her and Barber for their role in the protests. She said at least $5 million in “taxpayer dollars” has been spent thus far, with her and Barber’s legal costs being above $750,000.
In early 2022, the Freedom Convoy saw thousands of Canadians from coast to coast come to Ottawa to demand an end to COVID mandates in all forms. Despite the peaceful nature of the protest, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government enacted the never-before-used Emergencies Act (EA) on February 14, 2022.
During the clear-out of protesters after the EA was put in place, one protester, an elderly lady, was trampled by a police horse and one conservative female reporter was beaten by police and shot with a tear gas canister.
Trudeau revoked the EA on February 23.
The EA controversially allowed the government to freeze the bank accounts of protesters, conscript tow truck drivers, and arrest people for participating in assemblies the government deemed illegal.
From LifeSiteNews
Ontario Superior Court Justice Charles Hackland ruled that Pat King must serve three months of house arrest and dedicate 100 hours to community service for his participation in the 2022 Freedom Convoy
Freedom Convoy participant Pat King has been given a 3-month conditional sentence for his role in the 2022 Freedom Convoy protest against COVID mandates.
On February 19, Ontario Superior Court Justice Charles Hackland ruled that King must serve three additional months of house arrest and dedicate 100 hours to community service for his role in the Freedom Convoy. King’s sentence would have been 12 months, but the court gave him credit for time served prior to his trial.
“In the court’s opinion, there is a social harm to unduly elevating the sentencing rules of denunciation and deterrence in the context of political protests to result in punitive sentences at the top of the sentencing range,” Hackland wrote, explaining why he did not opt to sentence King to a whopping 10-year prison sentence, as the Crown prosecutors had advocated for.
“The risk is that an overly severe sentence of imprisonment in the context of legitimate, constitutionally protected activity can have the effect of creating a chill or fear of participation in political expression,” he continued.
In November, King was found guilty of two counts of disobeying a court order, one count of mischief, one count of counselling others to commit mischief, as well as one count of counselling others to obstruct police.
King’s charges are in relation to his role in the 2022 Freedom Convoy which featured thousands of Canadians camping out in downtown Ottawa to call for an end to the COVID regulations and vaccine mandates in place at the time.
Despite the peaceful nature of the protest, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government enacted the Emergencies Act on February 14, 2022, to put an end to the popular convoy. Trudeau revoked the EA on February 23, but only after using the powers granted by the legislation to freeze the bank accounts of protesters, conscript tow truck drivers, and arrest people for participating in the assembly.
The two main Freedom Convoy leaders, Tamara Lich and Chris Barber, are still awaiting their verdicts for their involvement in the 2022 protests. Like King, if convicted, they face a maximum prison sentence of 10 years.
While some of the most notable people involved in the protest, like Lich and Barber, face a slew of charges that come with potentially harsh sentences, other protesters charged for participating have seen their charges dropped.
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