Court Motion Seeks Stay to Halt Freedom Convoy Class Action Citing Undisclosed Partial Settlement Deal
In a unified stand for constitutional rights, the Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms (JCCF) has moved to stop a $290 million class-action lawsuit targeting Freedom Convoy participants, citing egregious procedural misconduct undermining justice and free expression.
The lawsuit, originally filed in February of 2022 by Ottawa residents Zexi Li, Geoffrey Delaney, Happy Goat Coffee Company, and a local union, accuses convoy organizers (Chris Barber and Tamara Lich among others) and donors of causing nuisance through peaceful protests against covid mandates.
Many argue that this massive claim is a direct and calculated assault on our right to assemble and speak out against government overreach, potentially chilling future dissent.
At the heart of the motion are the actions of Paul Champs, lawyer for the plaintiffs, and his failure to disclose a secret settlement with one defendant, Chad Eros, finalized in April of 2024.
The self-represented Mr. Eros agreed to pay $60,000, provide documents, an affidavit, and testimony against co-defendants in exchange for release; conditions that effectively turn him into a cooperating witness.
Ontario rules mandate immediate disclosure to ensure transparency, yet this agreement was kept hidden for 22 months, until January 2026. JCCF lawyers argue that “This non-disclosure is an abuse of process,” explaining that it prejudices preparations and violates fair trial principles. Granting a permanent stay would safeguard individual freedoms from manipulative litigation tactics.
Currently, this motion awaits a hearing; updates will follow.
The Freedom Convoy was truly a historic expression of democratic rights, highlighting the immense overreach of the lockdowns. It remains an event of epic proportions, accomplished by hardworking Canadians who demanded to be heard.
We will always stand with those who peacefully participated in and supported the Freedom Convoy, and who support the inalienable rights and freedoms of all Canadians.
To read the update from The Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms, click here
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The Ben Franklin quote comes to mind; “Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety.” ….from a letter Franklin wrote in 1755 to the Pennsylvania Assembly during the French and Indian War.
The Franklin quote applied to the trucker freedom convoy as a reminder that when a society prioritizes a specific definition of “safety” (…going along with forcing people to get the jab) to the point of stripping away the dignity and livelihood of a segment of its population, it risks eroding the very liberties it claims to protect.