Tamara Lich and Chris Barber, key figures in the 2022 “Freedom Convoy,” have received conditional sentences, avoiding further imprisonment. Earlier this year, Barber was convicted of mischief and inciting others to defy a court order, while Lich was found guilty of mischief. They were acquitted of several other charges.
Each of them has been handed an 18-month conditional sentence, with twelve months confined at home with limited outings per week, followed by six months under a 10 p.m. curfew. Lich will receive credit for the 19 days she spent in jail initially and an additional 30 days for breaching her bail conditions. Both Barber and Lich are required to complete 100 hours of community service.
Lich’s lawyer, Lawrence Greenspon, mentioned that they are contemplating appealing her conviction. He stated, “The primary goal was to ensure she did not spend any more time in jail, and that objective has been achieved.” Barber’s defense attorney, Diane Magas, stated that her client respects the judge’s decision, deeming it reasonable and in line with their expectations.
Following sentencing hearings in July, the pair appeared in an Ottawa court for their sentencing. The Crown had previously requested extraordinary sentences of eight years for Barber and seven for Lich, emphasizing the significant impact they had on the public during the protests in Ottawa. Lich and Barber had encouraged numerous protesters to block the city’s downtown area with their vehicles during that winter, leading to weeks of gridlock. They also raised substantial funds to protest against the federal government’s COVID-19 mandates. The government eventually invoked the Emergencies Act to disperse the protests.
During the trial, lawyers representing Lich and Barber sought an absolute discharge. Magas argued that an eight-year sentence would have been excessive. An absolute discharge would have meant no criminal record for Lich.
