Tamara Lich and Chris Barber, prominent figures of the 2022 “Freedom Convoy,” will face a sentencing decision on Tuesday following their conviction for mischief earlier this year. The sentencing hearings took place in July, and the duo is scheduled to appear in an Ottawa court for their sentencing.
The Crown prosecutor, Siobhain Wetscher, has urged Justice Heather Perkins-McVey to impose significant sentences of eight years for Barber and seven years for Lich. Wetscher argued that these substantial penalties would reflect the significant impact that the pair had on the public during the protests they orchestrated in Ottawa. During the winter, Lich and Barber rallied thousands of protesters to park their vehicles in the city’s downtown area, causing extensive gridlock for weeks. Additionally, they raised substantial funds to oppose the federal government’s COVID-19 mandates.
Subsequently, the federal government invoked the Emergencies Act to disperse the protests. Lawyers representing Lich and Barber have advocated for an absolute discharge, with Barber’s lawyer, Diane Magas, asserting that an eight-year sentence would be excessive.
An absolute discharge would entail no criminal record and no further incarceration for Lich, who has already spent 19 days in prison, along with an additional 30 days for breaching her bail conditions. In July, Lich’s lawyer, Lawrence Greenspon, highlighted the widespread public support his client received. Greenspon emphasized that Lich and Barber stood up for thousands, if not tens of thousands, of individuals who felt that their personal dignity and freedoms were infringed upon by government-mandated vaccinations.
Greenspon stated that Lich had come to Ottawa with noble intentions. Speaking recently, Greenspon expressed cautious optimism and uncertainty regarding the judge’s ruling. He mentioned that his client is eagerly anticipating the resolution of the case.
