The Freedom Convoy class action lawsuit is a class action lawsuit against various Canada convoy protestors.

Lawsuit

The Freedom Convoy class action lawsuit is a $306 million[1] class action lawsuit against various Canada convoy protestors led by Ottawa lawyer Paul Champ.[2]

The lawsuit's website states that: "The defendants deliberately planned and co-ordinated tactics to block all the streets and roadways around Parliament Hill and the surrounding neighborhoods, and to make as much noise and air pollution as possible to cause discomfort and distress to Ottawa residents, business and workers to coerce governments to comply with their demands" and "[T]he non-stop blaring horns, diesel fumes, unexpected fireworks and loud sound systems blasting music have caused the residents unbearable torment in the sanctity of their own homes."[1] In July 2023, lawyers for some defendants were readying themselves to present a motion in court to dismiss the lawsuit, using legislation that prohibits Strategic lawsuits against public participation.[3]

Parties

Named plaintiffs to the class action lawsuit are Ottawa residents Zexi Li, restaurateur Henry Assad, Ivan Gedz of Union Local 613, and restaurant staffer Geoffrey Devaney.[4] Additional participants include approximately 15,000 plaintiffs[3] including hundreds of businesses and thousands of restaurants.[4]

Defendants named in the lawsuit include protest organizer Benjamin Dichter,[5] Chris Barber,[4] Tamara Lich,[4] Patrick King,[4] James Bauder,[4] and Tom Marazzo[4] On February 17, 2022, 31 additional defendants were added.[4] In December 2022, Paul Champ applied to Ontario's Superior Court of Justice to add additional representative defendants to the lawsuits.[2] The additional defendants were: GiveSendGo Christian crowdfunding website and the website's founder Jacob Wells,[2] West Lincoln town councilor and truck driver Harold Jonker, who claimed to be the first truck driver to park a big rig in Ottawa,[2] and businessman Brad Howland of New Brunswick who donated US$ 75,000 to the convoy.[2]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Keown, Mary Katherine (27 May 2022). "'You ain't getting a dime,' vows Freedom Convoy organizer named in class action lawsuit". National Post. Retrieved 2022-12-24.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Duffy, Andrew (20 Dec 2022). "Ottawa lawyer Paul Champ seeking to expand list of defendants in 'Freedom Convoy' class action lawsuit". Ottawa Citizen. Archived from the original on 2022-12-21. Retrieved 2022-12-24.
  3. 1 2 "Convoy organizers try to quash $300 million lawsuit". CBC. 29 July 2023.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Crawford, Blair (18 Feb 2022). "Convoy class action claim increased to $306M as downtown restaurateurs join lawsuit". Ottawa Citizen. Archived from the original on 2022-02-24. Retrieved 2022-12-24.
  5. ↑ Bessner, Ellin (2022-12-08). "'Freedom is sometimes a messy business': The Freedom Convoy's former spokesman Benjamin Dichter's view of three weeks that paralyzed Ottawa". The Canadian Jewish News. Archived from the original on 2022-12-09. Retrieved 2022-12-24.
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