COVID-19
Canadian commentators call Freedom Convoy leaders’ sentences ‘onerous,’ ‘too stiff’
From LifeSiteNews
“The understandable reaction is going to be ‘Well, the crown was asking for much more, so this is actually a victory. Bullsh*t. Having to tolerate injustice and rationalize it as being acceptable because it’s less of an injustice than what could’ve been is bullsh*t”
Canadian political pundits and right-of-center media were quick to blast what they called “onerous” house arrest conditions placed on Freedom Convoy leaders Tamara Lich and Chris Barber, who were sentenced yesterday by an Ontario judge after earlier being found guilty of mischief.
Rebel News head Ezra Levant, who has been covering the trial extensively, gave his assessment of the verdict, saying there was “good” and “bad” news.
“Good news: no additional jail time for Tamara Lich or Chris Barber,” he wrote on X.
“Bad news: onerous house arrest provisions. The real punishment was the longest mischief trial in Canadian history. Total political vendetta by Doug Ford’s prosecutors.”
On October 7, Ontario Court Justice Heather Perkins-McVey sentenced Lich and Chris Barber to 18 months’ house arrest after being convicted earlier in the year convicted of “mischief.”
As reported by LifeSiteNews, the Canadian government was hoping to put Lich in jail for no less than seven years and Barber for eight years for their roles in the 2022 protests against COVID mandates.
Interestingly, Perkins-McVey said during Tuesday’s sentencing, “They came with the noblest of intent and did not advocate for violence,” Perkins-McVey said of Lich and Barber.
Political commentator Rupa Subramanya was pleased with the overall outcome.
“So no jail time for @LichTamara and @ChrisBarber1975. House arrest, curfew, and time in the community for both. Good outcome. Finally, they can put this chapter behind them. And everyone can move on. It’s been a long 3 years!”
Brian Lilley, a political commentator for the Toronto Sun, called the overall sentence “too stiff.”
“Lich & Barber both given 18-month conditional sentences with house arrest, with carve-outs, for their mischief convictions related to the Freedom Convoy. Too stiff in my view based on the facts, but better than what other judges would have given,” he wrote on x.
Well-known Canadian celebrity and commentator Brett Wilson observed while the sentence could have been worse, Lich and Barber should have had “nothing” as punishment, saying instead that former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau should be the one penalized.
“Delighted with the overall Freedom Convoy sentence being JUST house arrest. Not jail,” he wrote on X.
“Trudeau should be sharing a matching penalty. And I wish the sentence were nothing. But here we are. The Crown Sentence request was absolute bullsh*t.”
Canadians should not accept house arrest verdict as ‘victory,’ warns commentator
Well-known online commentator Viva Frei was not as gracious with Lich and Barber’s verdict, saying “having to tolerate injustice and rationalize it as being acceptable” is like the “boiling frog analogy.”
“The understandable reaction is going to be ‘Well, the crown was asking for much more, so this is actually a victory. Bullsh*t. Having to tolerate injustice and rationalize it as being acceptable because it’s less of an injustice than what could’ve been is bullshit,” he wrote on X.
“It’s the boiling frog analogy. You tolerate injustice, you rationalize injustice, you will get more injustice.”
Frei doubled down, calling the sentence “absolute judicial horsesh**,” noting how saying,
“it could’ve been worse” will pretty “much always be true.”
“Call it out for what it is. This sentence is an absolute outrageous injustice. The sentence should have been time served, with an apology from the judge,” he wrote.
“The entire system in Canada is fu**ed beyond belief. Possibly fu**ed beyond repair.”
Specifically, Barber was handed an 18-month conditional sentence, with a concurrent three-month sentence for counseling disobedience of a court order, that can be served in the community.
Lich was given 18 months less time, taking into account the time already spent in custody, which amounts to 15 1/2 months.
Both Lich and Barber must remain in their house for the first 12 months except for medical emergencies and certain appointments. They are allowed to work and can leave their house for certain permitted activities for up to five hours once a week. They were also given a curfew and 100 hours of community service.
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, Trudeau’s government enacted the never-before-used Emergencies Act (EA) on February 14, 2022.
COVID-19
Crown seeks to punish peaceful protestor Chris Barber by confiscating his family work truck “Big Red”
The Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms announces that the Ontario Court of Justice will hold a hearing at 10:00 a.m. ET on Wednesday, November 26 at 161 Elgin Street, Ottawa, regarding the Crown’s attempt to permanently seize “Big Red,” the 2004 Kenworth long-haul truck relied upon by peaceful Freedom Convoy protestor Chris Barber and his family trucking business.
Constitutional lawyer Diane Magas, who represents Mr. Barber, is opposing the forfeiture.
“The impact of the forfeiture of ‘Big Red’, which is an essential part of the operation of Mr. Barber’s trucking business and is relied upon by Mr. Barber, his family as well as employees, is not what Parliament had in mind when enacting those forfeiture provisions, especially considering the context of a political protest where the police told Mr. Barber where to park the truck and when Mr. Barber moved the truck after being asked to move it,” she said.
Mr. Barber, a Saskatchewan trucker and central figure in the peaceful 2022 Freedom Convoy, depends on this vehicle for his livelihood. The Crown alleges that his truck constitutes “offence-related property.”
The November 26 hearing will address the Crown’s application to seize the truck and will include evidence regarding ownership and corporate title. The Court will also consider an application filed earlier this year by Mr. Barber’s family, who are asserting their rights as interested third parties and seeking to prevent the loss of the vehicle.
Mr. Barber was found guilty of mischief and counselling others to breach a court order following the peaceful Freedom Convoy protest, despite his consistent cooperation with law enforcement and reliance on legal advice during the events of early 2022. At sentencing, the Court acknowledged that he “came with the noblest of intent and did not advocate for violence,” emphasizing that Mr. Barber encouraged calm and compliance.
Mr. Barber said, “‘Big Red’ is how I put food on the table. I followed every instruction police gave me during the protest, and I never imagined the government would try to take the very truck I rely on to earn a living.”
COVID-19
Freedom Convoy protestor Evan Blackman convicted at retrial even after original trial judge deemed him a “peacemaker”
Evan Blackman and his son at a hockey game
The Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms announces that peaceful Freedom Convoy protestor Evan Blackman has been convicted of mischief and obstructing a peace officer at the conclusion of his retrial at the Ontario Court of Justice, despite being fully acquitted on these charges at his original trial in October 2023.
The Court imposed a conditional discharge, meaning Mr. Blackman will have no jail time and no criminal record, along with 12 months’ probation, 122 hours of community service, and a $200 victim fine surcharge.
The judge dismissed a Charter application seeking to have the convictions overturned on the basis of the government freezing his bank accounts without explanation amid the Emergencies Act crackdown in 2022.
Lawyers funded by the Justice Centre had argued that Mr. Blackman acted peacefully during the enforcement action that followed the federal government’s February 14, 2022, invocation of the Emergencies Act. Drone footage entered as evidence showed Mr. Blackman deescalating confrontations, raising his hand to keep protestors back, and kneeling in front of officers while singing “O Canada.” The original trial judge described Mr. Blackman as a “peacemaker,” and acquitted him on all charges, but the Crown challenged that ruling, resulting in the retrial that has now led to his conviction.
Mr. Blackman was first arrested on February 18, 2022, during the police action to clear protestors from downtown Ottawa. Upon his release that same day, he discovered that three of his personal bank accounts had been frozen under the Emergency Economic Measures Order. RCMP Assistant Commissioner Michel Arcand later confirmed that 257 bank accounts had been frozen nationwide under the Emergencies Act.
Constitutional lawyer Chris Fleury said, “While we are relieved that Mr. Blackman received a conditional discharge and will not carry a criminal record, we remain concerned that peaceful protestors continue to face disproportionate consequences stemming from the federal government’s response in February 2022.”
“We are disappointed that the Court declined to stay Mr. Blackman’s convictions, which are tainted by the serious infringements of his Charter-protected rights. Mr. Blackman is currently assessing whether he will be appealing this finding,” he added.
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