Self-defence laws under the spotlight following Lindsay, Ont. home invasion

A 44-year-old Lindsay, Ont. man has been charged with serious offences after he defended himself and his property from a home intruder who was reportedly carrying a crossbow.

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  |   August 27, 2025   |   News Analysis   |   2 Comments

On last night's episode of The Ezra Levant Show, National Post columnist Tristin Hopper discussed the state of self-defence laws in Canada following a widely-publicized home invasion that saw a man charged after defending his property.

Conversations surrounding self-defence have increased after a Lindsay, Ont. man was charged following an altercation with an intruder who broke into his home while he was sleeping at 3:00 a.m. on Monday, August 18.

While the intruder — who was reportedly known to police — was charged for the incident, the homeowner was also charged with serious offences including aggravated assault and assault with a weapon.

The intruder is now reportedly being treated for his injuries at Sunnybrook Hospital in Toronto following the altercation.

"This guy is a known serial criminal, and he was out on the street. I think that bothers a lot of people, and we hear that story more often than the opposite," said Ezra.

"I think the brazenness of it, I mean breaking into a house at that hour, and there were accomplices on the street, and the crossbow is just crazy, my theory is that one of the reasons police charged Jeremy McDonald, the homeowner, is because they want to tamp down any member of the public who's getting big ideas about finding an alternative solution to home security other than the police," he continued.

The incident in Lindsay, Ont. has ignited intense debate across Canada about the fairness of self-defence laws, with many arguing that homeowners like Jeremy McDonald should not face charges for defending their lives and property against potentially violent intruders.

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre stated on Friday that the laws should be clear that Canadians can protect themselves and their homes from intruders by any means necessary.

Castle Law Now!

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No Canadian should face criminal charges for defending their home and family. When a violent intruder broke into Jeremy McDonald’s house in Lindsay, Ontario, he did what any father would do — he protected his family. Instead of charging the criminal, police charged Jeremy with aggravated assault. This outrageous injustice proves we need stronger “castle law” protections to ensure that a man’s home truly is his castle, and that Canadians have the right to self-defence without fear of prosecution. Please sign the petition now to demand justice for Jeremy and protect the right of every Canadian to defend their home.

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  • Bernhard Jatzeck
    commented 2025-08-27 21:29:41 -0400
    Our legal system penalizes the victims as well as those opposing the criminals. There’s little incentive to intervene in, say, a daytime smash-and-grab theft if one could end up being charged—or even hurt or killed—for trying to stop the burglars.
  • Bruce Atchison
    commented 2025-08-27 19:34:26 -0400
    We must be able to repel intruders with as much force as we can. They have no reason to be in our homes. We buy locks and subscribe to alarm monitor services but there are crooks too crazed to care about locks and alarms. We should be the ones protected, not criminals.