Ottawa, Canada – Freedom Convoy leaders Tamara Lich and Chris Barber are facing significant prison sentences, with the Crown seeking up to eight years for Barber and seven for Lich, following their convictions for mischief related to the 2022 protests. "Judge set to sentence Canadian Freedom Convoy leaders to up to 8 years in prison not aware their bank accounts were frozen by Trudeau government," stated a recent tweet from The Post Millennial, highlighting a contentious aspect of the protest's aftermath. The sentencing hearings are ongoing, with a decision from Justice Heather Perkins-McVey anticipated on October 7, 2025.
Crown prosecutor Siobhain Wetscher has requested seven years imprisonment for Lich and eight years for Barber, who was also convicted of counselling others to disobey a court order. In contrast, Barber's lawyer, Diane Magas, has argued for an absolute discharge, asserting that the Crown's proposed sentence constitutes "cruel and unusual punishment." Lich and Barber were found guilty of mischief in April 2025 for their roles in organizing the demonstration that occupied downtown Ottawa for three weeks.
The tweet's reference to frozen bank accounts pertains to the federal government's unprecedented invocation of the Emergencies Act in February 2022. This measure granted financial institutions the authority to freeze accounts linked to individuals and entities actively involved in the protests. Over 200 bank accounts, holding approximately $7.8 million, were impacted under these emergency powers, which the government stated were aimed at key organizers and those refusing to disperse.
The legality of the Emergencies Act's invocation and the subsequent financial freezes has been a subject of considerable legal scrutiny and public debate. A Federal Court judge ruled in January 2024 that the government's use of the Act was "unreasonable" and infringed upon Charter rights, specifically noting the absence of an objective standard for account freezes. Some convoy organizers, including Chris Barber, have initiated lawsuits alleging violations of their Charter rights, citing the personal impact of their frozen accounts on daily necessities. The Trudeau government has indicated its intention to appeal the Federal Court's ruling.