Latest news with #Lich
Time of India
5 hours ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Conservative MPs rally behind trucker convoy leaders as sentencing looms, saying, ‘They're heroes, not criminals!'
Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Popular in International 1. Who is Luciano Frattolin? The grieving father at the heart of the Melina Frattolin tragedy Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads The Crown 's decision to prosecute two prominent organisers of the "Freedom Convoy" protests has drawn criticism from a number of Conservative MPs, with the party's deputy leader referring to it as an act of "political vengeance."Due to their involvement in planning the protest, which blockaded the streets surrounding Parliament Hill for over three weeks in early 2022, Tamara Lich and Chris Barber were found guilty of mischief in read: Poilievre says Canada needs more people leaving than arriving to ease housing, job strain Additionally, Barber was found guilty of advising people to defy a court order.A number of accusations, including encouraging others to do mischief, were and Lich will appear in Ottawa on Wednesday, July 23, for a sentencing Crown wants to sentence Barber to eight years and Lich to seven years, according to social media shared a screenshot of a portion of the Crown's argument to the judge, in which they referred to their acts as "the worst case of mischief" and contended that the right to free speech has never been unrestricted. The screenshot has not been independently confirmed by The Canadian Press. Poilievre criticises prosecutors for seeking "political retribution"Pierre Poilievre, the leader of the Conservative Party, questioned the Crown's strategy in a Monday post on said, "Let's get this straight: while rampant violent offenders are released hours after their most recent charges & antisemitic rioters vandalize businesses, terrorize daycares & block traffic without consequences, the Crown wants 7 years prison time for the charge of mischief for Lich & Barber.""How is this justice?", he read: Canada just can't win in trade war with Trump "Equal application of the law would be a good start if the Crown suddenly wants to apply the law," wrote Melissa Lantsman, the deputy Conservative leader, in a social media post. "But this is political vengeance not actual justice and that's why trust in our institutions is dwindling."The recommended punishment range was described as "excessive and vindictive" by Ontario Conservative MP Andrew Chris's three-week nonviolent protest over three and a half years ago, the Crown is requesting a seven-year sentence [eight years]. "All the while, violent criminals are slapped on the wrist," Lawton stated."[seven to eight] years for holding the line and causing Justin Trudeau a political emergency," according to Saskatchewan MP Jeremy Patzer, is the suggested sentence, he likened it to an instance when a man attempted to purchase sex from a person he thought was 15 years old and was granted a conditional Liberals' priorities are rather obvious. The only people who are suggesting changing our laws to put the genuine criminals in jail are conservatives, Patzer read: Poilievre criticizes Canada's trade deadline with US as he seeks political comeback MPs "are raising concerns because the sentencing sought by the Crown in this particular case appears completely disproportionate, particularly when compared to violent criminals who have gotten away with a mere slap on the wrist," according to a statement from Poilievre's the April election, the Conservatives ran on a platform of toughness against crime. Poilievre committed to enact life sentences for some drug and human trafficking offences and guaranteed "jail not bail" for repeat offenders, promises that constitutional experts said would almost probably be overturned by the social media tweets on Monday, July 21, followed criticism of Poilievre and his MPs by several well-known right-wing social media personalities and influencers for their purported lack of support for Lich and every court appearance, vociferous supporters have greeted Lich and Barber, and on Monday, Lich's post received hundreds of likes and attorney Michael Spratt , who practices in Ottawa, referred to the MPs' choice to comment on the suggested sentence as "craven politics.""Politicians' involvement in court-related matters is extremely risky," he to Spratt, it has long been customary for politicians to refrain from forcing their opinions on Canada's legal however, occasionally cross that boundary. The granting of bail to a suspect in a homicide case involving the death of a Toronto police officer was described as "beyond comprehension" by Ontario Premier Doug Ford in accused was found not guilty in 2024. Spratt claimed that when the case's facts were revealed, lawmakers who had previously criticised the legal system looked to Spratt, politicians who decide to use well-known cases to "promote a political narrative" ultimately devalue the judiciary's are using their right to "raise concerns about disproportionate sentencing in the justice system," a spokesman for Poilievre's office, spokesperson stated that it is the responsibility of the opposition to bring up issues of proportionality and consistency in the criminal justice system, including sentencing laws and policies, as demonstrated by particular the allegation is "mischief," Spratt contended that this isn't an example of a child misbehaving, and that the Conservative criticism undervalues the seriousness of the read: Canada rescinds tax hitting US tech firms: Government According to him, the case concerns two demonstrators who caused "real harm" to thousands of people living in downtown Ottawa and inflicted millions of dollars' worth of Heather Perkins-McVey of the Ontario Court , who handed down the guilty judgements, stated on the criminal mischief trial of Tamara Lich and Chris Barber in her verdict on April 3, 2025, that despite being aware of the impact the protest was having on downtown residents and businesses, Lich and Barber frequently urged others to attend or stayIn early 2022, thousands of demonstrators, cars, and large rig trucks gathered in downtown Ottawa to protest COVID-19 pandemic limits, vaccination requirements, and the administration of then-prime minister Justin of the protesters continued to honk their truck horns throughout the day despite a court order to cease, refusing to leave the downtown claimed the stench of diesel fumes was overpowering and that they were the march, Poilievre backed the demonstrators. In a February 2022 video recorded outside Parliament, he labelled some of the truckers 'honest, hard-working, decent people' and offered them coffee and doughnuts.A few demonstration participants declared their desire to topple the government. At the time, Poilievre stated that the opinions of a select few should not be used to discredit the truckers as a the Trudeau administration used the Emergencies Act for the first time in the nation's history, a large-scale police operation ultimately dispersed the use of the law, which granted the government, police, and financial institutions extensive powers to put an end to the protest, was the subject of a federal public inquiry. A year after the demonstrations, the commission published a report stating that the federal government had good reason to use the remarks, according to Spratt, are unlikely to influence the judge's decision about Lich and Barber's potential read: From economy to immigration: Something is rotten in Canada Because Pierre Poilievre chose to take to social media to voice his thoughts, he stated that this judge in particular would not make a ruling.
Edmonton Journal
9 hours ago
- Politics
- Edmonton Journal
'How is this justice?' Poilievre, Conservative MPs show support for Freedom Convoy leaders ahead of sentencing
Article content OTTAWA — Several Conservative MPs are criticizing the Crown's approach to prosecuting two key organizers of the Freedom Convoy protests, with the party's deputy leader calling it an act of 'political vengeance.' Article content Tamara Lich and Chris Barber were convicted of mischief in April for their roles in organizing the demonstration, which blockaded streets around Parliament Hill for more than three weeks in early 2022. Article content Article content Barber was also convicted of counselling others to disobey a court order. Article content Article content A sentencing hearing for Barber and Lich is scheduled to take place in Ottawa on Wednesday. Article content Lich has posted on social media that the Crown is seeking a sentence of seven years for her and eight years for Barber. She posted a screen shot of part of the Crown's submission to the judge, which called their actions 'the worst case of mischief' and argued that the right to political expression has never existed without limitations. The Canadian Press has not independently verified the screen shot. Article content Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre posted on X on Monday to question the Crown's approach. Article content 'Let's get this straight: while rampant violent offenders are released hours after their most recent charges and antisemitic rioters vandalize businesses, terrorize daycares and block traffic without consequences, the Crown wants seven years prison time for the charge of mischief for Lich and Barber,' he said. Article content Article content 'How is this justice?' Article content In her own social media post, deputy Conservative leader Melissa Lantsman said that if 'the Crown suddenly wants to apply the law — equal application of law would be a good start — but this is political vengeance not actual justice and it's why trust in our institutions is dwindling.' Article content Ontario Conservative MP Andrew Lawton called the proposed sentencing range 'excessive and vindictive.' Article content 'The Crown is seeking a seven-year sentence (eight for Chris) for a three-week peaceful protest almost three and a half years ago. All while violent offenders are given slaps on the wrist,' Lawton said. Article content Saskatchewan MP Jeremy Patzer described the proposed sentence as '(seven to eight) years for holding the line and causing Justin Trudeau a political emergency.' He compared it to a case in which a man was given a conditional discharge for trying to buy sex from someone he believed was 15 years old.
Vancouver Sun
9 hours ago
- Politics
- Vancouver Sun
'How is this justice?' Poilievre, Conservative MPs show support for Freedom Convoy leaders ahead of sentencing
OTTAWA — Several Conservative MPs are criticizing the Crown's approach to prosecuting two key organizers of the Freedom Convoy protests, with the party's deputy leader calling it an act of 'political vengeance.' Tamara Lich and Chris Barber were convicted of mischief in April for their roles in organizing the demonstration, which blockaded streets around Parliament Hill for more than three weeks in early 2022. Barber was also convicted of counselling others to disobey a court order. Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. They were found not guilty of several charges, including counselling others to commit mischief. A sentencing hearing for Barber and Lich is scheduled to take place in Ottawa on Wednesday. Lich has posted on social media that the Crown is seeking a sentence of seven years for her and eight years for Barber. She posted a screen shot of part of the Crown's submission to the judge, which called their actions 'the worst case of mischief' and argued that the right to political expression has never existed without limitations. The Canadian Press has not independently verified the screen shot. Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre posted on X on Monday to question the Crown's approach. 'Let's get this straight: while rampant violent offenders are released hours after their most recent charges and antisemitic rioters vandalize businesses, terrorize daycares and block traffic without consequences, the Crown wants seven years prison time for the charge of mischief for Lich and Barber,' he said. 'How is this justice?' In her own social media post, deputy Conservative leader Melissa Lantsman said that if 'the Crown suddenly wants to apply the law — equal application of law would be a good start — but this is political vengeance not actual justice and it's why trust in our institutions is dwindling.' Ontario Conservative MP Andrew Lawton called the proposed sentencing range 'excessive and vindictive.' 'The Crown is seeking a seven-year sentence (eight for Chris) for a three-week peaceful protest almost three and a half years ago. All while violent offenders are given slaps on the wrist,' Lawton said. Saskatchewan MP Jeremy Patzer described the proposed sentence as '(seven to eight) years for holding the line and causing Justin Trudeau a political emergency.' He compared it to a case in which a man was given a conditional discharge for trying to buy sex from someone he believed was 15 years old. 'It is pretty clear what the Liberals' priorities are. Conservatives are the only ones proposing to fix our laws so that the real criminals end up behind bars,' Patzer said. A spokesperson from Poilievre's office said in a statement that MPs 'are raising concerns because the sentencing sought by the Crown in this particular case appears completely disproportionate, particularly when compared to violent criminals who have gotten away with a mere slap on the wrist.' The Conservatives ran on a tough-on-crime platform in the April election. Poilievre promised 'jail not bail' for repeat offenders and pledged to legislate life sentences for some human trafficking and drug offences — promises that constitutional experts said would almost certainly be struck down by the courts. Monday's social media posts came after a number of prominent right-wing social media influencers and personalities called out Poilievre and his MPs over their alleged lack of support for Lich and Barber. Lich and Barber have been greeted by vocal supporters at each of their court appearances and Lich's post had thousands of likes and comments on Monday. Michael Spratt, an Ottawa-based defence lawyer, called the MPs' decision to weigh in on the proposed sentencing 'craven politics.' 'It is very dangerous for politicians to be weighing in on matters before the court,' he said. Spratt said there is a long-standing convention that politicians must not impose their views on the judicial system in Canada. But sometimes politicians step over that line. In 2021, Ontario Premier Doug Ford said that it was 'beyond comprehension' that the suspect in a homicide case involving the death of a Toronto police officer had been granted bail. The accused was found not guilty in 2024. Spratt said politicians who were critical of the justice system at the time ended up looking foolish when the facts of the case came out. Politicians who choose to leverage high-profile cases to 'advance a political narrative' ultimately end up devaluing the work of the courts, Spratt said. The spokesperson for Poilievre's office said MPs are exercising their freedom to 'raise concerns about disproportionate sentencing in the justice system.' 'It's the job of the Opposition to raise questions about consistency and proportionality in the criminal justice system, including sentencing law and policy, illuminated by specific cases,' the spokesperson said. Spratt said the Conservative criticism undersells the nature of the offences; though the charge is 'mischief,' this isn't an instance like a child misbehaving, Spratt argued. The case involves two organizers of a demonstration that cost millions of dollars in damage and caused 'real harm' to thousands of downtown Ottawa residents, he said. In delivering the guilty verdicts, Ontario Court Justice Heather Perkins-McVey said Lich and Barber routinely encouraged people to join or remain at the protest, even though they knew the effect it was having on people and businesses downtown. Thousands of protesters, vehicles and big rig trucks converged on downtown Ottawa in early 2022 in opposition to COVID-19 pandemic restrictions, vaccine mandates and the government of then-prime minister Justin Trudeau. The demonstrators refused to leave the downtown, with many honking their truck horns at all hours even after a court injunction ordered them to stop. Residents in the area complained of being harassed and said the smell of diesel fumes was overwhelming. Poilievre was supportive of the protesters during the demonstration. He brought coffee and doughnuts to some of the truckers and called them 'honest, hardworking, decent people' in a February 2022 video taken outside Parliament. Some of the people involved in the protest said they wanted to overthrow the government. Poilievre said at the time that the truckers should not be disparaged as a group for the views of certain individuals. The protest was eventually broken up by a massive police operation after the Trudeau government invoked the Emergencies Act for the first time in the country's history. A federal public inquiry was held to examine the use of the law, which gave government, police and financial institutions extraordinary powers to quell the protest. The commission released a report one year after the protests that said the federal government was justified in using the law. Spratt said outside comments are not likely to change the judge's opinion on a possible sentence for Lich and Barber. 'This judge in particular is not going to make a decision one way or the other because Pierre Poilievre decided that he'd hop on social media and express his opinion,' he said. Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark and sign up for our daily newsletter, Posted, here .
National Observer
11 hours ago
- Politics
- National Observer
Poilievre, Conservative MPs publicly support 'Freedom Convoy' organizers ahead of sentencing
Several Conservative MPs are criticizing the Crown's approach to prosecuting two key organizers of the "Freedom Convoy" protests, with the party's deputy leader calling it an act of "political vengeance." Tamara Lich and Chris Barber were convicted of mischief in April for their roles in organizing the demonstration, which blockaded streets around Parliament Hill for more than three weeks in early 2022. Barber was also convicted of counselling others to disobey a court order. They were found not guilty of several charges, including counselling others to commit mischief. A sentencing hearing for Barber and Lich is scheduled to take place in Ottawa on Wednesday. Lich has posted on social media that the Crown is seeking a sentence of seven years for her and eight years for Barber. She posted a screenshot of part of the Crown's submission to the judge, which called their actions "the worst case of mischief" and argued that the right to political expression has never existed without limitations. The Canadian Press has not independently verified the screenshot. The Conservative leader, deputy leader and others within the party voiced support for the protest organizers, convicted in April of mischief for their roles in the convoy that blockaded streets around Parliament Hill for more than three weeks in 2022 Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre posted on X on Monday to question the Crown's approach. "Let's get this straight: while rampant violent offenders are released hours after their most recent charges and antisemitic rioters vandalize businesses, terrorize daycares and block traffic without consequences, the Crown wants seven years prison time for the charge of mischief for Lich and Barber," he said. "How is this justice?" In her own social media post, deputy Conservative leader Melissa Lantsman said that if "the Crown suddenly wants to apply the law — equal application of law would be a good start — but this is political vengeance not actual justice and it's why trust in our institutions is dwindling." Ontario Conservative MP Andrew Lawton called the proposed sentencing range "excessive and vindictive." "The Crown is seeking a seven-year sentence (eight for Chris) for a three-week peaceful protest almost three and a half years ago. All while violent offenders are given slaps on the wrist," Lawton said. Saskatchewan MP Jeremy Patzer described the proposed sentence as "(seven to eight) years for holding the line and causing Justin Trudeau a political emergency." He compared it to a case in which a man was given a conditional discharge for trying to buy sex from someone he believed was 15 years old. "It is pretty clear what the Liberals' priorities are. Conservatives are the only ones proposing to fix our laws so that the real criminals end up behind bars," Patzer said. The Conservatives ran on a tough-on-crime platform in the April election. Poilievre promised "jail not bail" for repeat offenders and pledged to legislate life sentences for some human trafficking and drug offences — promises that constitutional experts said would almost certainly be struck down by the courts. Monday's social media posts came after a number of prominent right-wing social media influencers and personalities called out Poilievre and his MPs over their alleged lack of support for Lich and Barber. Lich and Barber have been greeted by vocal supporters at each of their court appearances and Lich's post had thousands of likes and comments on Monday. Michael Spratt, an Ottawa-based defence lawyer, called the MPs' decision to weigh in on the proposed sentencing "craven politics." "It is very dangerous for politicians to be weighing in on matters before the court," he said. Spratt said there is a long-standing convention that politicians must not impose their views on the judicial system in Canada. But sometimes politicians step over that line. In 2021, Ontario Premier Doug Ford said that it was "beyond comprehension" that the suspect in a homicide case involving the death of a Toronto police officer had been granted bail. The accused was found not guilty in 2024. Spratt said politicians who were critical of the justice system at the time ended up looking foolish when the facts of the case came out. Politicians who choose to leverage high-profile cases to "advance a political narrative" ultimately end up devaluing the work of the courts, Spratt said. He also said the Conservative criticism undersells the nature of the offences; though the charge is "mischief," this isn't an instance like a child misbehaving, Spratt argued. The case involves two organizers of a demonstration that cost millions of dollars in damage and caused "real harm" to thousands of downtown Ottawa residents, he said. In delivering the guilty verdicts, Ontario Court Justice Heather Perkins-McVey said Lich and Barber routinely encouraged people to join or remain at the protest, even though they knew the effect it was having on people and businesses downtown. Thousands of protesters, vehicles and big rig trucks converged on downtown Ottawa in early 2022 in opposition to COVID-19 pandemic restrictions, vaccine mandates and the government of then-prime minister Justin Trudeau. The demonstrators refused to leave the downtown, with many honking their truck horns at all hours even after a court injunction ordered them to stop. Residents in the area complained of being harassed and said the smell of diesel fumes was overwhelming. Poilievre was supportive of the protesters during the demonstration. He brought coffee and doughnuts to some of the truckers and called them "honest, hardworking, decent people" in a February 2022 video taken outside Parliament. Some of the people involved in the protest said they wanted to overthrow the government. Poilievre said at the time that the truckers should not be disparaged as a group for the views of certain individuals. The protest was eventually broken up by a massive police operation after the Trudeau government invoked the Emergencies Act for the first time in the country's history. A federal public inquiry was held to examine the use of the law, which gave government, police and financial institutions extraordinary powers to quell the protest. The commission released a report one year after the protests that said the federal government was justified in using the law. Spratt said outside comments are not likely to change the judge's opinion on a possible sentence for Lich and Barber. "This judge in particular is not going to make a decision one way or the other because Pierre Poilievre decided that he'd hop on social media and express his opinion," he said.
Epoch Times
26-04-2025
- Politics
- Epoch Times
Lawrence Greenspon Defends the Fundamental Freedoms of All Canadians
Commentary 'Law is an imperfect profession,' famed American lawyer Alan Dershowitz—defender of such notorious clients as Claus Von Bülow, Jeffrey Epstein, Harvey Weinstein, and O.J. Simpson—once wrote. 'There is no perfect justice … But there is perfect injustice, and we know it when we see it.' Like Dershowitz, Lawrence Greenspon has spent a career fighting injustice in all its forms. Over the past 45 years, Greenspon has become one of Canada's best-known criminal lawyers through his defence of a long list of clients at risk of being crushed by the legal system—from terrorists to political pariahs to, In taking on these cases, Greenspon is not only giving his clients the best defence possible, he's also defending the very legitimacy of Canada's legal system. Lich faced six charges and up to 10 years in jail for her role organizing the peaceful Ottawa protest. Earlier this month she was found guilty on a single charge of mischief. The Crown says it intends to seek a In an interview, Greenspon said he decides on cases based on whether he believes in the cause central to the case: 'What's at stake. And can I make a difference?' What attracted him to Lich's case were key aspects of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms that he felt needed defending. 'Canadians have a constitutionally protected right to freedom of expression and freedom of peaceful assembly,' he said. 'These are fundamental freedoms, and they're supposed to be protected for all of us.' Related Stories 11/19/2024 11/2/2023 At issue was the impact the protest had on some downtown Ottawa residents and whether that conflicted with Lich's right to free speech and peaceful protest. 'We were prepared to admit right off the bat that there were individuals who lived in downtown Ottawa who experienced some interference with their enjoyment of their property,' Greenspon noted. 'But when you put freedom of expression and freedom of peaceful assembly on a scale against interference with somebody's enjoyment of property, there's no contest. Freedom of association and peaceful assembly, and freedom of expression – these should win every time.' Such a spirited defence of Canadians' Charter rights is characteristic of the entire body of Greenspon's legal work, although his clients aren't always as endearing as Lich. Prior to being in the spotlight for the Lich trial, most Canadians probably remember Greenspon from the 2008 trial of 'The fundamental point is that everybody's entitled to a defence,' he said. What really mattered was the constitutionality of the new terror law, which Greenspon argued impinged on the free speech rights of Canadians. In 2018 Greenspon represented He also defended Sen. Throughout his legal career, Greenspon has fought tirelessly for the constitutional rights of all his clients, regardless of public sympathy or apparent guilt. While such a stance can make him unpopular, such work offers a crucial bulwark against the state's misuse of its authority in pursuing particular individuals, as well as the gradual erosion of the liberties promised to all Canadians by the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Every Canadian has a stake in ensuring the court system is held to account at all times, regardless of the apparent evidence, current political mood or public support. Without the work of lawyers such as Greenspon, Charter rights can soon deteriorate into empty platitudes—as the federal government's shocking treatment of the peaceful Freedom Convoy protesters revealed. That included the unjustified imposition of the Emergencies Act, the freezing of donors' bank accounts, the mass arrest of supporters, and the marked reluctance to grant bail to those charged. As Greenspon pointed out numerous times during the trial, the conciliatory and always respectful Lich represents the very ideals of peaceful protest in Canada. And for the sole charge on which she was convicted, she still faces two years in a federal penitentiary. In the case of Khawaja, Greenspon was asked by an Ottawa synagogue to explain why he, as a Jew, was defending an Islamist terrorist. 'I told the synagogue members, somebody has to stand up for the person who finds themselves set against the entire machinery of the state. In this case it happens to be Khawaja. But what if the next guy is named Dreyfus?' Lynne Cohen is a writer at Views expressed in this article are opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
