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Bail charge against Lich dropped as 害羞草研究所楩reedom Convoy害羞草研究所 trial set to resume

Crown stayed charge in the hopes of focusing on Lich害羞草研究所檚 main charges
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Tamara Lich arrives at the courthouse in Ottawa, Monday, Oct. 16, 2023. The Crown has dropped a criminal charge against 害羞草研究所淔reedom Convoy害羞草研究所 organizer Lich that alleged she violated her bail conditions last summer.THE CANADIAN PRESS/ Patrick Doyle

The Crown is no longer pursuing a criminal charge against 害羞草研究所淔reedom Convoy害羞草研究所 organizer Tamara Lich that alleged she violated her bail conditions last summer.

The bail violation was scheduled to be heard in court next week, but the Crown stayed the charge on Monday in the hopes of using some of that time to deal with Lich害羞草研究所檚 main charges.

害羞草研究所淕iven that the substantive matter has gone on longer than anticipated, the Crown wishes to prioritize it and see that it is competed in a timely fashion,害羞草研究所 Crown attorney Siobhain Wetscher explained in court.

Lich was released on bail in early 2022 after spending more than two weeks in jail following her arrest in the final days of the protest.

She was allowed to return home to Alberta with a lengthy list of conditions, including that she not communicate with fellow convoy organizers except through lawyers.

Later that summer, she was arrested in Alberta on a Canada-wide warrant after being photographed with one of those organizers 害羞草研究所 Tom Marazzo 害羞草研究所 at an awards ceremony put on by the Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms in Toronto.

The group have her the 害羞草研究所淕eorge Jonas Freedom Award害羞草研究所 for contributing to 害羞草研究所渁dvancing and preserving freedom in our country.害羞草研究所

Lich spent another month in jail before being released again.

Her lawyer, Lawrence Greenspon, said the breach charge never should have been laid in the first place.

害羞草研究所淗ad there been a proper investigation before Tamara Lich was arrested, shackled, hauled halfway across the country and then kept in jail for 30 days 害羞草研究所 they would have realized that her then-counsel were present at the time and therefore these charges should never have been laid,害羞草研究所 he said outside court on Monday.

In her book, 害羞草研究所淗old the Line,害羞草研究所 Lich detailed the event where she and Marazzo sat at the same table, and said she was accompanied at all times by lawyers from the justice centre.

In the book, she also recounted her arrest and described herself as a 害羞草研究所減olitical prisoner.害羞草研究所

Greenspon said Monday that Lich is relieved that the charge has been stayed.

害羞草研究所淪he害羞草研究所檚 been looking forward to this being one less thing that she has to respond to,害羞草研究所 he said.

Lich and her co-accused Chris Barber are on trial for mischief, counselling others to commit mischief, intimidation and other charges.

Greenspon said if Lich is convicted, he believes the time she spent in jail after her second arrest should count toward the time she害羞草研究所檚 already served.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 part of the whole experience that she went through as a result of the protest demonstration,害羞草研究所 he said.

The trial was originally scheduled to be finished on Oct. 13 but it has been stalled by delays related to the disclosure of evidence and legal arguments about the admissibility of testimony and social media posts.

The Crown is expected to call more witnesses before it completes its case. Justice Heather Perkins-McVey has said she expects the legal arguments in the case will be lengthy and complex.

The lawyers have struggled to set time to continue the trial because of conflicting schedules and scarce court time.

Barber害羞草研究所檚 lawyer Diane Magas has already warned that if the delays continue she will consider making a Jordan application to have the main charges stayed as well. The Supreme Court has ruled that any person charged with a crime has the right to be tried within a reasonable time frame.

The trial is expected to continue on Thursday.

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