Tamara Lich to find out Wednesday if she’s returning to jail

Soon after a two-day bail assessment held this 7 days, Liberty Convoy chief Tamara Lich will discover out Wednesday irrespective of whether or not she’s heading again to jail. 

Lich, an organizer of the Ottawa protest that brought the city to a halt for weeks, was seeking an modification to her bail situations that would allow her to return to Ontario and to use social media. Crown legal professionals charged she was in violation of her bail disorders, and should be back again in jail. 

Lich, who is charged jointly with fellow convoy organizer Chris Barber, is accused of mischief, counselling mischief, obstructing police, counselling to hinder police, counselling intimidation, and intimidation by blocking and obstructing 1 or more highways in relation to the protest.

She has been out on bail considering that March 7.

‘Didn’t see the harm’ in Flexibility Convoy jewelry 

For the duration of Friday’s bail evaluate, Crown prosecutor Moiz Karimjee confirmed a social media put up that includes Lich putting on a pendant gifted to her. The pendant functions a truck graphic and the terms “Flexibility” and “Canada” emblazoned on it. 

Lich, testifying by way of online video from Alberta, explained the pendant was gifted to her, and disagreed with Karimjee that supplying permission for it to be posted on-line violated bail circumstances demanding her not to “verbally, in writing, monetarily, or by any other indicates, assistance something relevant to the Flexibility Convoy.”

The photograph of Lich putting on the necklace was posted on a Freedom Convoy team site that says “parts of the sale will be donated to Truckers Convoy.” 

Lich claimed this was not supporting everything similar to the Freedom Convoy, in section mainly because “you will find no convoy to help.”

“I will not see how it really is a breach. It really is a piece of jewlery that was gifted to me,” stated Lich. “I truly did not see the harm in it.”

She explained she took the photo since she was “appreciative” that another person experienced sent her “these kinds of a lovely present.” 

Lich reported she had assumed the particular person who sent the pendant and requested for the photograph would post it on a particular website page. 

The surety tasked with earning positive Lich follows her bail situations, whose identification is protected by a publication ban, said they had been unaware the write-up or photograph existed.

Social media ban ‘comparable to exile’

Lich is trying to get to be capable to return to social media. Suitable now she is capable to textual content and contact men and women, but she is restricted from accessing social media platforms. 

She claimed she would like to join with family and friends who write-up and information her on social media.

“We stay in social media world now, I think being banned wholly from social media is equivalent to exile when on a time,” Lich instructed the court docket. “I personally don’t see why i won’t be able to take in my very own social media and log into it even and keep connected, which is what it truly is all about actually, remaining connected.”

All through evaluation by defence lawyer Lawrence Greenspon on Thursday, Lich testified she also wishes her bail situations improved to allow for her to check out Ottawa. The explanations are matter to a court-purchased publication ban and can’t be disclosed.

She also testified she would “like to attend” an event in Toronto in June to acknowledge a independence award, “nonetheless I is not going to be breaching my bail disorders in order to do so.”

Award for foremost convoy

On March 28, a charity referred to as the Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms emailed Lich to notify her she’d been chosen for its 2022 George Jonas Freedom Award, she advised court.

The email, which she study aloud, claimed the honour was staying supplied “in recognition of your management job in the Freedom Convoy.”

The award announcement on the centre’s site states Lich “took the initiative to aid manage a peaceful protest and serve as just one of its leaders. The resulting tranquil protest in Ottawa woke up a lot of Canadians to the injustice of Constitution-violating lockdowns and required vaccination insurance policies.”

The working day soon after obtaining the e mail, Lich emailed again to say she was “honoured” to accept. She failed to inquire about no matter whether it would be Okay, she testified underneath cross examination by Karimjee.

Asked whether by accepting the award she was supporting some thing linked to the convoy, Lich mentioned, “I guess, yeah. I guess so.

“I will not experience that this is a breach. I do not come to feel that that is what the recognition is for. … I feel that the recognition is for inspiring Canadians to maintain the government to account to the rule of law and to uphold their Constitution rights,” she continued.

“I guess it is relevant, because of what happened,” she additional.

Lich arrested in February

Lich was arrested Feb. 17 and originally charged with counselling to commit mischief, soon before before a major law enforcement operation cleared protesters and autos from Ottawa streets.

She was originally denied bail by Ontario Courtroom Justice Julie Bourgeois, who told court docket she identified Lich to be guarded and “practically obstructive” at times, and who wasn’t certain Lich would go house, keep home and quit her alleged counselling.

Lich and her then law firm Diane Magas appealed Bourgeois’s determination, leading to her initially bail review in the larger court in early March.

Excellent Court Justice John Johnston dominated in Lich’s favour after the just one-day continuing, stating she experienced been a “valued staff” in Alberta and had lived a “crime-totally free” lifestyle, and that the risk in Ottawa experienced been minimized soon after law enforcement cleared streets.

Lich was unveiled soon after expending about 18 days in custody at the Ottawa-Carleton Detention Centre. Other bail conditions included that she leave Ottawa within 24 hrs, refrain from using social media and have no make contact with with specified co-organizers.

Her surety — who cannot be discovered owing to a courtroom-purchased publication ban — put up a $20,000 dollars bond, while Lich herself put up an added $5,000 funds bond.