'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
Poilievre will do 'anything to win,' must condemn Alex Jones endorsement: Trudeau
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is ramping up his attacks on Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre as he promotes his government's federal budget.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.
New evidence challenges the Pentagon's account of a horrific attack as the U.S. withdrew from Afghanistan: CNN exclusive
New video evidence uncovered by CNN significantly undermines two Pentagon investigations into an ISIS-K suicide attack outside Kabul airport, during the American withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021.
'One of the single most terrifying things ever': Ontario couple among passengers on sinking tour boat in Dominican Republic
A Toronto couple are speaking out about their 'extremely dangerous' experience on board a sinking tour boat in the Dominican Republic last week.
All Alberta wildfires to date in 2024 believed to be human-caused: province
There are 63 wildfires burning in Alberta's forest protection area as of Wednesday morning and seven mutual aid fires, including one in the Municipal District of Peace.
Video shows suspects waving weapons, smashing glass in Toronto jewelry store robbery
Arrests have been made after five men were captured on video rampaging through a jewelry store in Toronto, waving weapons and smashing glass display cases.
Pilot proposes to flight attendant girlfriend in front of passengers
A Polish pilot proposed to his flight attendant girlfriend during a flight from Warsaw to Krakow, and she said yes.
Ottawa injects another $36M into fund for those seriously injured or killed by vaccines
The federal government has added $36.4 million to a program designed to support people who have been seriously injured or killed by vaccines since the end of 2020.
Ex-SNC executive sentenced to prison term in bridge bribery case
The RCMP says a former SNC-Lavalin executive has been sentenced to three and a half years in prison in connection with a bribery scheme for a bridge repair contract in Montreal.