Tamara Lich Undergoes Cross-Examination at Emergencies Act Inquiry

Tamara Lich appears as a witness at the Public Order Emergency Commission in Ottawa, on Friday, Nov 4, 2022. Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press

Freedom Convoy organizer Tamara Lich faced cross-examination at the inquiry into the Emergencies Act on Friday and she pushed back on assertions brought by lawyers opposed to last winter’s trucker-led protest.

Lich was asked by Government of Canada’s counsel Andrea Gonsalves whether she was aware that officials had received death threats around the time of the Freedom Convoy.

These included Mayor of Ottawa Jim Watson, then-Ottawa police chief Peter Sloly, and Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland, according to Gonsalves.

Lich said she was not aware about those at the time. She became aware of the threat against Freeland in recent days, as it was entered as evidence at the commission.

“I was also receiving death threats,” Lich said, explaining that she had to leave the hotel she was staying at because it was receiving the threats.

Lich testified over two days before the Public Order Emergency Commission.

The commission is tasked with examining the Liberal government’s invocation of the Emergencies Act on Feb. 14 to clear cross-country protests and blockades demanding the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions.

Other protest organizers and participants testified earlier this week, such as Chris Barber, Tom Marazzo, Pat King, and James Bauder.

‘Disruption’

Paul Champ, the lawyer representing some Ottawa residents and businesses, sought to have Lich admit that the protest had been disruptive for the city.

He highlighted the statement released by the Freedom Convoy after it reached a deal with the city on Feb. 12 to move trucks out of residential neighbourhoods.

The statement said the protesters never intended to negatively impact the residents of Ottawa.

“We didn’t want to create a big disruption to them. We wanted it to be respectful to the citizens of Ottawa for sure,” Lich said.

“Because from January 29 till February the 13^th, you recognize it wasn’t very respectful to the people of downtown Ottawa,” Champ replied.

Lich countered that there had been a lot of support from Ottawa residents.

“What I will say is that I was approached by hundreds of Ottawa citizens who had come out to support. I was approached by federal government employees who were donating items to the protesters.”

Champ highlighted to Lich that despite a number of setbacks faced by the protesters they decided to stay.

“Weren’t you getting the message?” Champ asked, after noting the shutdown of the GoFundMe fundraiser, the state of emergencies declared by the city and the province, and the injunction against honking.

“Well, we had a message too,” said Lich.

Champ asked whether that was more important than what the people of Ottawa were experiencing.

“After the stories that I heard coming across Canada, that were absolutely heartbreaking after two years of lockdowns and restrictions, yeah,” said Lich.