Nearly four years after the “Freedom Convoy” brought downtown Ottawa to a standstill, leaders Tamara Lich and Chris Barber are set to learn their sentences today for their roles in the massive 2022 demonstration.
In April, both were found guilty of mischief, with Barber facing an additional conviction for counselling others to commit mischief. During the July sentencing hearing, Crown prosecutor Siobhain Wetscher pushed for tough penalties, seeking seven years in prison for Lich and eight years for Barber. She argued that the convoy caused extensive harm to Ottawa residents and warranted stiff sentences to reflect the seriousness of their actions.
Their defence teams, however, countered with a plea for absolute discharges, maintaining that their clients have already endured significant punishment through three and a half years of strict bail conditions.
The pair were central figures in the protest that drew thousands of people and hundreds of trucks to the capital in early 2022, demanding the removal of all COVID-19 public health measures. The demonstration escalated to the point where the federal government invoked the Emergencies Act for the first time on February 14, sparking a major police operation to clear the city days later.
Their sentencing marks a pivotal moment in the legal aftermath of one of Canada’s most polarizing protest movements.