Tamara Lich sits at her kitchen table on a Tuesday afternoon, describing her new reality to her probation officer. The grandmother who helped organize Canada’s Freedom Convoy now needs written permission to visit the dentist. She cannot pick up her grandsons from school without filing a court application. Every trip outside her home requires advance approval from the state.
“I was hoping to be able to drop off and pick up my grandsons from school, but apparently that request will have to go to a judge under a variation application, so we’ll just leave everything as is for now,” Lich wrote in a post on X this Wednesday, detailing her first meeting with her probation officer since beginning her 18-month house arrest sentence.
The 51-year-old Alberta grandmother was sentenced to house arrest on October 7 by Ontario Court Justice Heather Perkins-McVey, along with fellow Freedom Convoy organizer Chris Barber. Their crime? Conviction on charges of “mischief” for their roles in the 2022 protests that brought thousands of Canadians to Ottawa demanding an end to COVID mandates.
The sentence came after the Canadian government originally sought seven years in prison for Lich and eight years for Barber. Yet even Justice Perkins-McVey acknowledged during sentencing that “they came with the noblest of intent and did not advocate for violence.”
Lich’s detailed account of her probation meeting reveals the extent of her restrictions. “I am not to leave the house, even for the approved ‘necessities of life’ without contacting her to let her know where I’ll be and for how long,” she explained. Her probation officer then provides a letter granting permission to be “out in society.”
“She will then provide a letter stating I have been granted permission to be out in society. I’m to have my papers on my person at all times and ready to produce should I be pulled over or seen by law enforcement out and about,” Lich wrote, describing conditions that echo authoritarian regimes rather than a constitutional democracy.
The probation officer did show some practical consideration, printing a permission letter before Lich left the meeting “so I could stop at the optometrist and dentist offices on my way home.” Still, next week brings another interview to “assess the level of risk I pose to re-offend.”
“It sounds like it’ll basically be a questionnaire to assess my mental state and any dangers I may pose to society,” Lich said of the upcoming evaluation.
The irony is stark. A grandmother who organized peaceful protests advocating for constitutional freedoms now requires state permission to participate in the simple rhythms of family life. Her official release date stretches to January 21, 2027, which Lich calculates as “1,799 days after my initial arrest.”
The Freedom Convoy emerged in early 2022 when thousands of Canadians traveled from coast to coast to Ottawa, demanding an end to COVID mandates. The protests remained peaceful throughout, yet Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government responded by invoking the never-before-used Emergencies Act on February 14, 2022.
The government’s response during the subsequent clearing of protesters revealed the lengths authorities would go to suppress dissent. An elderly woman was trampled by a police horse. A conservative female reporter was beaten by police and shot with a tear gas canister. Trudeau revoked the Emergencies Act on February 23, 2022, but the legal consequences for protest organizers continued.
Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre offered measured comments on the sentencing, wishing Lich and Barber a “peaceful” life while stopping short of the stronger criticism voiced by fellow MPs. The restrained response highlights the political complexity surrounding the case, even among natural allies.
For Catholics and other Christians watching these events unfold, the situation raises profound questions about the proper relationship between conscience and civil authority. Scripture calls believers to “render unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s; and unto God the things that are God’s,” but what happens when Caesar’s demands conflict with fundamental human dignity and family obligations?
Catholic teaching has long emphasized the importance of civil liberties and the rights of citizens to peaceful assembly and petition for redress of grievances. The Church’s social doctrine recognizes that legitimate authority serves the common good, but it also acknowledges that citizens have both rights and responsibilities that cannot be arbitrarily suppressed.
Lich’s detailed account of her current predicament reveals the resilience of ordinary people faced with extraordinary government overreach. Her matter-of-fact description of seeking permission for dental appointments and her determination to maintain family relationships despite legal obstacles demonstrate the kind of quiet courage that sustains democratic societies.
The case continues to unfold as Lich navigates her house arrest conditions and considers legal options for family activities like school pickups. Her experience serves as a reminder that the defense of constitutional principles often requires sustained commitment through prolonged legal consequences.
