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Convoy leader Tamara Lich denied permission to travel internationally

A judge rejected Lich's request for exemptions from her conditional sentence, saying international travel would undermine the court's punishment and deterrent effect.

· 2 min read · HOC Ottawa Desk
Convoy leader Tamara Lich denied permission to travel internationally
File photo: SHOX ART / Pexels
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Tamara Lich will not be allowed to travel internationally, an Ontario court decided Thursday.

Lich, convicted of mischief related to the 2022 Freedom Convoy protest in Ottawa, had asked Justice Heather Perkins-McVey in July to let her leave Canada for work as a correspondent with Rebel News. Her requests included attending press events at the White House, a seven-day Caribbean cruise, and travel to Arizona to speak with actor Rob Schneider.

The judge rejected the application. Justice Perkins-McVey acknowledged that Lich has followed the conditions of her sentence and that her circumstances haven't materially changed since her October 2025 sentencing. But allowing international travel would "diminish" both the punitive and deterrent effects of her sentence "to an unacceptable extent," the judge said.

Crown prosecutors had opposed the request, saying it would give Lich a "blank cheque" to travel and unnecessarily weaken the impact of her punishment. Lich's defence argued she had "abided by the terms of her conditional sentence to the letter."

Lich was sentenced in October 2025 to 12 months of house arrest. She is based in Medicine Hat, Alberta.

The facts

When was Tamara Lich sentenced?

Tamara Lich was sentenced in October 2025 to 12 months of house arrest.

Why did the judge deny Lich's travel request?

Justice Heather Perkins-McVey ruled that allowing international travel would diminish the punitive and deterrent effects of Lich's sentence to an unacceptable extent.

What international trips did Lich request permission for?

Lich requested permission to attend press events at the White House, take a seven-day Caribbean cruise, and travel to Arizona to speak with actor Rob Schneider, all related to her work as a correspondent with Rebel News.