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Today's hearing over Tamara Lich's request to vary her conditional sentence conditions was more about Rebel News and Ezra Levant's political opinions than Lich's sentence, reports Alexa Lavoie.

One of the most striking moments came when Justice Heather Perkins-McVey declared that Ezra Levant had hired Lich solely for the purpose of getting her out of her house, adding that Ezra holds very strong views of the justice system, of herself and of the trial process, which he has made very clear in Rebel News' video reports.

Justice Perkins-McVey reiterated this multiple times, stating that Rebel News has, in many ways, made a mockery of the conditional sentence. She also mentioned the roughly 40 items of Tamara Lich merchandise, specifically one showing Lich with duct tape over her mouth.

The judge said the merchandise suggested Rebel News was using Lich's employment to promote and monetize her house arrest, with the duct tape symbolizing Ezra Levant's view that the conditional sentence was intended to keep her quiet.

Lawrence Greenspon, counsel for Tamara Lich, pushed back, saying he had never seen a case in which the political or journalistic views of an employer were considered a reason to doubt compliance with a conditional sentence.

Greenspon repeatedly stressed that Lich has complied with the conditions. She has already spent nine months under the conditional sentence, completed her 100 hours of community service and received approval for interprovincial travel for work on 13 separate occasions. He argued that she is under extraordinary scrutiny, saying that if she steps one inch outside the lines, people will notice and authorities will know.

Crown prosecutor Siobhain Wetscher clarified that they are not suggesting Lich has in any way breached her conditions, but that the Tamara Project was effectively designed as a workaround to Lich's sentence, and described her employment as self-promotion under the guise of journalism. The Crown also argued that allowing broader exemptions would weaken the denunciatory and deterrence effect of the sentence and undermine public confidence in the justice system.

Greenspon argued that Chris Barber, who was also found guilty of mischief, has since been allowed to travel internationally for work.

Justice Perkins-McVey said she was not aware of that.

The bias of the judge was clearly on display. At times, she was almost finishing the Crown prosecutor's sentences, and at one point, they even giggled together over an argument.

The judge even had Tamara Lich's lawyer acknowledge that she has the power to tighten the restrictions. She appeared offended by Ezra's harsh criticism of her decision-making, even though that is exactly what commentary journalism is for: to criticize when the justice system makes decisions that are unfair or biased.

Lich has been compliant with her sentence conditions for nine months now. She is requesting permission to travel internationally for work. The Crown is opposing the request, and the final decision is soon to be handed down.

Tamara Lich has endured one of the longest nonviolent mischief trials in the Commonwealth for her participation in the 2022 Freedom Convoy, where she, along with tens of thousands of other Canadians, stood up for medical freedom amid the COVID vaccine mandates that plagued the country. All of that, only to end up with strict conditions, including house arrest, a curfew and community service, in addition to the 49 days in prison she had already served.

Visit TheTamaraProject.com and donate to help Tamara fight back and support her work.