March 7, 2022
-CTV
An Ottawa judge has ruled that Tamara Lich, a high-profile organizer of the ‘Freedom Convoy’ protest, be released from custody following a bail review.
The judge found that the previous judge who denied Lich bail made several errors in law.
The Alberta resident is being released on $25,000 in bonds and must leave Ottawa within 24 hours and Ontario with 72 hours.
This is a breaking news story and will be updated… the original story continues below.
A judge is expected to deliver a decision on a bail review for “Freedom Convoy” organizer Tamara Lich this afternoon..
Lich was arrested Feb. 17 and has remained in custody after being denied bail. Lich was the woman behind a GoFundMe campaign to raise money for the convoy, which was shut down after raising more than $10 million. The Medicine Hat, Alta. native is charged with counselling to commit mischief.
Last week, a lengthy bail review hearing was held to determine whether the previous judge made a legal error or whether Lich’s material circumstances had changed.
Court heard Lich had a new surety, a relative who cannot be identified under a publication ban. An argument was also put forward in regard to the previous judge who denied Lich bail. Lich argued that had she known of Justice Julie Bourgeois’s unsuccessful run as a federal Liberal Party candidate in 2011, she would have asked Bourgeois recuse herself because the “Freedom Convoy” was a protest against the current Liberal government.
Following several hours of arguments, Justice John Johnston, who was overseeing the bail review hearing, said there would be no decision until Monday.
Over the weekend, several pro-convoy demonstrators protested outside the Ottawa-Carleton Detention Centre, demanding Lich’s release, as well as the release of other convoy organizers who remain in custody.
Lich’s hearing is scheduled for 2 p.m. on Monday.
