Day 44 of Tamara Lich mischief trial wraps: Defence lawyer Lawrence Greenspon presents compelling final submission

Hard to imagine a mischief trial lasting four hours let alone 44 days. After all, mischief is typically a small potatoes crime — think of a teenager spray painting something on the side of a building. But when it comes to the "unacceptable views" of the "fringe minority," there is obviously a different standard at play.

And so millions of taxpayer dollars have been squandered in putting Barber and Lich on trial. It is a farce that seems less about the pursuit of justice and more about a political vendetta. As the saying goes, win, lose, or draw, the process is the penalty.

Star lawyer Lawrence Greenspon, acting for Lich, put on a legalistic tour de force in court Friday. He argued that Lich committed no crime at any point. Nor did she do or say anything that remotely resembled a call for violence. Furthermore, he emphasized that police arranged the route for the truckers to take into Ottawa and directed them where to park. And that the phrase "hold the line," contrary to what the Crown might think, is not "a call to arms."

Indeed, he noted that Lich always stressed that demonstrators should act peacefully and obey the police.

At one point Greenspon quipped: "Only in Ottawa can you have a protest without a permit but if dancing breaks out then a permit is required!" This prompted Ontario Court Justice Heather Perkins-McVey to remind Greenspon of the kid who received a ticket for selling lemonade without a permit as yet another "only in Ottawa" moment.

Greenspon added that Lich’s purpose in Ottawa was to implore the government to withdraw the COVID mandate, a policy threatening the livelihood of so many Canadians. And for Lich to tell the government to withdraw these mandates "should not be considered a crime."

Greenspon ended his submission by quoting Benjamin Franklin: "They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety."

The Crown requested a half day to make its final oral submissions, slated for Friday, September 13.

Stay tuned. In the meantime, check out our exclusive post-trial interview with Lawrence Greenspon.