I'm back in Ottawa for the latest ruling in Tamara Lich's case. Today, Justice Heather Perkins-McVey dismissed Lich's application to travel internationally while she serves her conditional sentence, one that includes house arrest and a curfew, stemming from her role as one of the organizers of the 2022 Freedom Convoy.

The proposed trips included documentary interviews, book promotion, speaking engagements and a seminar cruise. The judge found none of them were sufficiently urgent, exceptional or necessary to justify relaxing the territorial restrictions on Lich's sentence. Justice Perkins-McVey said those activities could instead take place in Canada, be postponed until the sentence is completed, or be conducted virtually.

She also concluded that allowing recurring international travel could undermine the punitive nature of the sentence.

But there is one part of today's ruling worth highlighting. The judge explicitly stated: "The refusal of permission is not based on viewpoint, journalistic content, or disapproval of Rebel News."

That statement is significant given what happened at the previous hearing, where the judge raised the issue of Rebel News repeatedly and suggested our coverage was making a mockery of the judicial process. A significant amount of time at that hearing was spent discussing Rebel News publisher Ezra Levant's commentary on X and our reporting.

An obvious question arises: if Tamara Lich worked for a different employer, would this application have been viewed the same way? Today, the judge says no. I'll let you draw your own conclusions.

Two important points from today's ruling should not get lost. The judge did not find that Lich breached any of her previous travel permissions — and specifically stated today's ruling should not be read as a finding that those permissions were improper or that she failed to comply with them. And this ruling does not completely prevent Lich from travelling within Canada. Her conditional sentence supervisor retains the authority to approve interprovincial travel on a case-by-case basis.

The door to a future international travel application was also left open, but only in what the judge described as "genuinely exceptional, specific, and time-limited circumstances."

For now, the application is dismissed and Lich's conditional sentence remains fully in effect. Following the ruling, I spoke with her lawyer Lawrence Greenspon outside the courthouse about what today's decision means and where this fight goes from here.

HELP FUND THE TAMARA PROJECT!

The government is trying to stop Tamara Lich from doing her job.

Tamara is allowed to leave home for work under the terms of her house arrest. Rebel News hired her as a Community Ambassador and reporter, and her work travel was approved for months.

Then she attended a Fourth of July reception hosted by the U.S. Ambassador as a journalist. The CBC, the New York Times and other establishment media outlets erupted in outrage — and soon afterwards, officials moved to restrict her ability to travel for work outside Alberta.

As a national reporter and Community Ambassador, Tamara needs to be able to travel to cover stories, attend events and meet Canadians where they are.

Rebel News is fighting to defend Tamara's right to earn a living and report across Canada. Ezra Levant is even testifying in court.

Your donation helps fund Tamara's journalism, travel, security, compliance support, production assistance and related project expenses.

Help keep Tamara on the road, reporting across Canada. Please donate today.

If you donate $250 or more Tamara will personally phone you to thank you!

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