COVID-19
Ontario gov’t drops over 100 fines from COVID era for compliance violations
From LifeSiteNews
Charges were withdrawn for violations of the Quarantine Act ‘due to a lack of reasonable prospect of conviction, delay, non-appearance of the government’s witness at trial, or a decision taken by the Crown not to proceed.’
Canadian legal advocacy group The Democracy Fund (TDF) says that because of generous donor support it secured the staying or withdrawal of 109 COVID-era tickets given to multiple people in Ontario.
The TDF said in a press update sent to LifeSiteNews that most often the charges were withdrawn or stayed “due to a lack of reasonable prospect of conviction, delay, non-appearance of the government’s witness at trial, or a decision taken by the Crown not to proceed.”
“It’s gratifying to see our hard work pay off, and a relief to our clients who have endured years of legal uncertainty,” TDF paralegal Jenna Little said.
“But the government is still doggedly pursuing many clients for charges that should not have been brought in the first place and consume scarce judicial resources.”
The TDF observed that its clients were charged under the Quarantine Act s.15 (failure to provide information to screening officer), s.58 (failure to complete ArriveCan, failure to arrange for quarantine), or s.66 (obstruct an officer).
It noted that the fine for each charge was around $5,000, with “with potential total fines for conviction on all charges reaching $681,250.”
“Though many of these cases have been successfully resolved, many remain,” the TDF said.
Some of the charges were issued under the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act, such as s.7.0.11 (obstruct an officer), which can carry a one-year jail sentence and a $10,000 fine.
The TDF stated that in “rare cases” some clients were also charged under “s.10 of the Reopening Act (gather or fail to close premises).”
“Fines under those statutes range from $125 to $19,000,” the TDF said.
The TDF noted that despite the recent court wins, there are still “hundreds” of clients who are facing “potential fines and jail time for peacefully protesting or objecting to government overreach during COVID lockdowns.”
The TDF said that during COVID the government used the opportunity to enact “rights-infringing, overbroad laws.”
“Legislators and bureaucrats zealously enforced these laws against Canadians in an effort to secure compliance and suppress peaceful protest. Fortunately, The Democracy Fund (TDF) and its team of lawyers and paralegals, with the support of generous donors, fought back,” it said.
The TDF, founded in 2021, bills itself as a Canadian charity “dedicated to constitutional rights, advancing education and relieving poverty,” by promoting constitutional rights “through litigation and public education.”
In early July, LifeSiteNews reported that TDF lawyers helped get criminal charges against a Canadian man who participated in the pro-family 1 Million March 4 Children protest over radical LGBT ideology being taught in public schools dropped by the Crown.
Over the last couple of years, the TDF has been active in helping Canadians persecuted under COVID mandates and rules fight back. Notable people it has helped include Dr. Kulvinder Kaur Gill, an Ontario pediatrician who has been embroiled in a legal battle with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario (CPSO) for her anti-COVID views. She has also had the help of Elon Musk.
COVID vaccine mandates, which came from provincial governments with the support of the federal government, split Canadian society. The mRNA shots have been linked to a multitude of negative and often severe side effects in children.
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.
COVID-19
Freedom Convoy leader says Trudeau gov’t has spent $5 million prosecuting her, fellow protester
From LifeSiteNews
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.
Freedom Convoy leader Tamara Lich spelled out just how much the Canadian government has spent prosecuting her and co-organizer Chris Barber thus far for role in the protests, saying at least $5 million in “taxpayer dollars” has been spent thus far.
On the three-year anniversary of the day she was arrested for her role in Freedom Convoy, Lich posted on X on February 17 a breakdown of what has transpired since that time.
She recounted how she has endured some 48 days in jail, along with 10 bail hearings, and 45 days of a trial which spanned over a year and a half.
Lich noted how to date, more than “$750,000.00 in combined legal fees for [fellow Freedom Convoy leader] Chris [Barber] & myself” has been spent, with over “$5,000,000.00 of taxpayer dollars spent on our prosecution so far.”
Lich was arrested on February 17, 2022, in Ottawa. Barber was arrested the same day as well.
Lich and co-leader Chris 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.
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.
In the lead-up to the protest, Trudeau had disparaged unvaccinated Canadians, saying those opposing his measures were of a “small, fringe minority” who hold “unacceptable views” and do not “represent the views of Canadians who have been there for each other.”
As reported by LifeSiteNews, earlier this month Trudeau’s government was again in court to claim its use of the Emergencies Act to stop the 2022 Freedom Convoy was warranted in an appeal of a ruling from last year that found its use of the act was unjustified.
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