'Freedom Convoy' organizer Tamara Lich freed on bail for second time
Ottawa protest organizer Tamara Lich has been freed on bail for the second time after a judge overturned a previous decision that sent her back into custody.
“I’m very happy to be free and out,” Lich said as she was mobbed by supporters while leaving the Ottawa courthouse Tuesday. She had been in custody since June 27, accused of breaching her bail conditions.
Superior Court judge Andrew Goodman said the justice of peace who presided over Lich’s June 27 show-cause hearing made several errors of law and misapprehended some facts when he ordered her continuing detention.
Lich was accused of breaching the bail condition that prohibited her from communicating with 10 other protest organizers, including former Freedom Convoy spokesman Tom Marazzo. They sat at the same table at a Freedom Award gala in Toronto in June and were photographed together.
Goodman found the breach claim to be “tenuous” and not “rationally connected” to the idea behind the non-communication order – to prevent the organization of another Freedom Convoy protest.
He disagreed with the justice of the peace about the gravity of the charges – a key factor in bail decisions – saying it’s unlikely she would be sentenced to a lengthy term of imprisonment if convicted.
The Crown had argued that Lich could be sentenced to a prison term of up to 10 years, because of the effect of the protest on the city and its citizens.
“Ms. Lich is presumed to be innocent,” Goodman said in his decision, noting that there is “uncertainty about the degree to which she will be held culpable” for the protest.
“Nothing in these reasons,” Goodman said, “is intended to minimize the harm done to the citizens of Ottawa” or the costs to various levels of government.
Goodman noted that Lich had obeyed all the other bail conditions imposed on her for nearly four months and took the step of going back to court to ask that the conditions be varied to allow her to attend the gala.
Lich’s defence lawyers said they were pleased with the ruling.
“Obviously, we’re disappointed it took nearly a month in custody to get to this point but we’re pleased at the conclusion today – that the order detaining her was clearly inappropriate and that’s now been corrected and she’s been released,” said lawyer Eric Granger outside the court.
Before the decision, Lich appeared on the stand to face cross-examination by Crown prosecutor Moiz Karimjee, who asked about her personal financial situation. Lich said she had received about $69,000 in donations to her defence.
Karijmee played a TikTok video in court in which another protest organizer claimed Lich had once expressed support for a plan to buy a property in Ottawa to use as a base for the protests.
But Lich denied she had any involvement in a plan by a group called The United People of Canada to acquire a former church in the ByWard Market to use as an “embassy.”
Lich also told the court that her husband Dwayne Lich had travelled to Ottawa during the protest aboard a chartered aircraft paid for by the Adopt-a-Trucker fundraiser, not a private jet funded by a “good Christian” as Dwayne Lich testified in February.
Lich, 49, still faces a list of criminal charges, including mischief, counselling intimidation and counselling obstruction of a police officer related to the three-week occupation of Ottawa’s downtown core.
A pre-trial hearing is scheduled for August.
IN DEPTH
Budget 2024 prioritizes housing while taxing highest earners, deficit projected at $39.8B
In an effort to level the playing field for young people, in the 2024 federal budget, the government is targeting Canada's highest earners with new taxes in order to help offset billions in new spending to enhance the country's housing supply and social supports.
'One of the greatest': Former prime minister Brian Mulroney commemorated at state funeral
Prominent Canadians, political leaders, and family members remembered former prime minister and Progressive Conservative titan Brian Mulroney as an ambitious and compassionate nation-builder at his state funeral on Saturday.
'Democracy requires constant vigilance' Trudeau testifies at inquiry into foreign election interference in Canada
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau testified Wednesday before the national public inquiry into foreign interference in Canada's electoral processes, following a day of testimony from top cabinet ministers about allegations of meddling in the 2019 and 2021 federal elections. Recap all the prime minister had to say.
As Poilievre sides with Smith on trans restrictions, former Conservative candidate says he's 'playing with fire'
Siding with Alberta Premier Danielle Smith on her proposed restrictions on transgender youth, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre confirmed Wednesday that he is against trans and non-binary minors using puberty blockers.
Supports for passengers, farmers, artists: 7 bills from MPs and Senators to watch in 2024
When parliamentarians return to Ottawa in a few weeks to kick off the 2024 sitting, there are a few bills from MPs and senators that will be worth keeping an eye on, from a 'gutted' proposal to offer a carbon tax break to farmers, to an initiative aimed at improving Canada's DNA data bank.
Opinion
opinion Don Martin: Gusher of Liberal spending won't put out the fire in this dumpster
A Hail Mary rehash of the greatest hits from the Trudeau government’s three-week travelling pony-show, the 2024 federal budget takes aim at reversing the party’s popularity plunge in the under-40 set, writes political columnist Don Martin. But will it work before the next election?
opinion Don Martin: The doctor Trudeau dumped has a prescription for better health care
Political columnist Don Martin sat down with former federal health minister Jane Philpott, who's on a crusade to help fix Canada's broken health care system, and who declined to take any shots at the prime minister who dumped her from caucus.
opinion Don Martin: Trudeau's seeking shelter from the housing storm he helped create
While Justin Trudeau's recent housing announcements are generally drawing praise from experts, political columnist Don Martin argues there shouldn’t be any standing ovations for a prime minister who helped caused the problem in the first place.
opinion Don Martin: Poilievre has the field to himself as he races across the country to big crowds
It came to pass on Thursday evening that the confidentially predictable failure of the Official Opposition non-confidence motion went down with 204 Liberal, BQ and NDP nays to 116 Conservative yeas. But forcing Canada into a federal election campaign was never the point.
opinion Don Martin: How a beer break may have doomed the carbon tax hike
When the Liberal government chopped a planned beer excise tax hike to two per cent from 4.5 per cent and froze future increases until after the next election, says political columnist Don Martin, it almost guaranteed a similar carbon tax move in the offing.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Air turbulence: When can it become dangerous?
Flight turbulence like that encountered by a Singapore Airlines flight on Tuesday is extremely common, but there's one aspect of severe turbulence an aviation expert says can lead to serious injury.
B.C. serial killer Robert Pickton hospitalized after prison attack
British Columbia serial killer Robert Pickton was attacked and sustained life-threatening injuries in a Quebec prison Sunday in what officials described as a 'major assault.'
People in Gaza are 'wasting' from famine: World Food Programme director
World Food Programme executive director Cindy McCain says people living in Gaza are 'wasting' as famine concerns continue amid the war between Israel and Hamas.
WATCH Why today's inflation numbers are good if you have a mortgage
New inflation data is 'welcome news' for consumers and an economist says it could signal the possibility for a interest rate cut as several core measures also continue to ease.
Toronto Blue Jays fan struck by 110 m.p.h foul ball offered tickets, signed baseball by team
The Toronto Blue Jays have offered tickets and a signed baseball to a fan who says she was struck in the face by a 110 m.p.h (177 km/h) foul ball at Friday’s game.
OPP continues to investigate boat collision north of Kingston, Ont. that left 3 people dead
Ontario Provincial Police continue to investigate a long weekend fatal boat collision on Bobs Lake, north of Kingston, Ont.
Matthew Perry's death is being investigated over ketamine level found in actor's blood, reports say
An investigation has been opened into the death of Matthew Perry and how the “Friends” actor received the anesthetic ketamine, which was ruled a contributing factor in his death.
'Miscommunication' Liberals say of Speaker Fergus event invite Conservatives call partisan
House of Commons Speaker Greg Fergus is facing fresh Conservative-led calls to resign, this time over "very partisan" and 'inflammatory' language used – the Liberals say mistakenly – to promote an upcoming event.
'Mr. Trump doesn't worry us', says Canadian ambassador
As Prime Minister Justin Trudeau continues the 'Team Canada' charm offensive to U.S. lawmakers and business leaders, Canada's ambassador to the United States downplayed the effect of another Trump presidency on Canada.
Local Spotlight
Montreal photographer captures dramatic Canada Goose vs. fox face-off
Montreal photographer captured the moment a Canada Goose defended itself from a fox at the Botanical Garden.
Beyond books: Halifax libraries lends instruments, sports equipment, memory kits and more
Public libraries in Atlantic Canada are now lending a broader range of items.
'A special bird': The unbreakable bond between purple martins and humans
Flashes of purple darting across the sky mixed with the serenading sound of songs will be noticed more with spring in full force in Manitoba.
7-year-old Pokémon prodigy heading to Hawaii for world championship tournament
Catching 'em all with impressive speed, a 7-year-old boy from Windsor, Ont. who only started his competitive Pokémon journey seven months ago has already levelled up to compete at a world championship level.
VIDEO Born without front legs, this dog has been inspiring the world for 3 years: Dresden farm owner
A sanctuary dedicated to animals with disabilities is celebrating the third birthday of one of its most popular residents.
From DVDs to rehearsals: Halifax theatre company transforms Video Difference building into arts hub
2b Theatre recently moved into the old Video Difference building, seeking to transform it into an artistic hub, meeting space, and temporary housing unit for visiting performers in Halifax.
'Another pair of eyes watching over me:' How a B.C. woman's service dog saved her from drowning
A B.C. woman says her service dog pulled her from a lake moments before she had a seizure, saving her life.
Starbucks fan on decades-long journey to visit every store in the world
A Starbucks fan — whose name is Winter — is visiting Canada on a purposeful journey that began with a random idea at one of the coffee chain's stores in Texas.
'Sacred work': Sask. First Nation learning how to conduct its own underground searches
Members of Piapot First Nation, students from the University of Winnipeg and various other professionals are learning new techniques that will hopefully be used for ground searches of potential unmarked grave sites in the future.