'Freedom Convoy' leader Tamara Lich appears in court seeking new bail conditions
One of the leaders of the ‘Freedom Convoy’ protest will need to clear a legal hurdle before she can seek changes to her bail conditions.
Tamara Lich, the organizer of a GoFundMe that raised more than $10 million in support of the convoy, was released from jail last month with heavy restrictions on her use of social media.
On Wednesday, she appeared in court as her lawyer and a Crown attorney argued over a procedural matter: whether a Superior Court judge can review the bail decision of another Superior Court judge, or whether it must be appealed to a higher court.
"We want to be able to argue in front of the Superior Court of Justice that there was an error of law made at the time those conditions were imposed," Lich's lawyer Lawrence Greenspon told CTV News.
The Crown argued in court the law does not allow for a Superior Court judge to review the decision of another Superior Court judge.
Greenspon disagreed.
"It's the kind of application which has been proceeding before the courts for more than 30 years," he said. "And the alternative which the Crown is suggesting, namely to bring an application for leave to the Supreme Court of Canada, is just completely impractical and would present a very real obstacle for the vast majority of people who are released on bail."
A date for a decision was not set. Justice Julianne Parfett said she would provide her decision as quickly as possible.
Greenspon says the social media restriction on Lich is overly broad and an unnecessary condition of her release.
Lich was arrested Feb. 17, a day before the large police operation began that removed the protesters who occupied downtown Ottawa streets for three weeks.
She and a co-accused, Chris Barber, are charged with mischief, counselling mischief, intimidation, counselling intimidation, counselling obstruction of police and obstructing police.
Lich appeared by video from Alberta, where she is living as part of her release conditions.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Work stoppage possible as WestJet issues lockout notice to maintenance engineers' union
A lockout notice issued by WestJet to a union representing aircraft maintenance engineers could result in a work stoppage next week.
'I just can't believe that it took so long': Body found in wreckage 3 months after deadly fire
A man accused of arson in a January Old Strathcona apartment fire is expected to be charged with manslaughter after a body was discovered in the burned building late last month.
No proof man lied to brother about number of kittens born in litter, B.C. tribunal rules
A man was denied a $5,000 payout from his brother after a B.C. tribunal dismissed his claim disputing how many kittens were born in a litter.
Bodies recovered in Mexico likely 2 Australians, 1 American who went missing: officials
Three bodies recovered in an area of Baja California are likely to be those of the two Australians and an American who went missing last weekend during a camping and surfing trip, the state prosecutor’s office said Saturday.
BREAKING London Drugs begins 'gradual reopening' on 7th day after cyberattack
Almost a week after all London Drugs stores across Western Canada abruptly closed amid a cyberattack, they began a "gradual reopening" on Saturday.
Quebec police hand out hundreds of tickets to Hells Angels and other bikers before 'first run' meeting
Quebec provincial police handed out hundreds of fines to Hells Angels members and other supporting motorcycle clubs who met for their 'first run' in a small town near Sherbrooke, Que.
Auston Matthews skates ahead of Game 7, status unclear with season on the line
Auston Matthews was back on the ice with his teammates Saturday.
Russia puts Ukrainian President Zelenskyy on its wanted list
Russia has put Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on its wanted list, Russian state media reported Saturday, citing the interior ministry’s database.
Snakes almost on a plane: U.S. TSA discovers a bag with small snakes in passenger's pants
According to an X post by the Transportation Security Administration, officers at the Miami International Airport found the small bag of snakes hidden in a passenger's trousers on April 26 at a checkpoint.