We have seen many cases of activists being punished by the regimes for taking part in protests, the most notably being the bank cancellations of the Canadian truckers, with the measures adopted by he Trudeau regime being upheld by a court. But a new case is putting state tyranny in an even worse light. A Canadian police office donated $ 50 to the trucker protest group, and is being punished by having to work 80 unpaid hours! The charge is “discreditable conduct,” under the Police Services Act.
I do not know the law, but the charge seems completely disproportional, since the Truckers were not a prescribed criminal organisation, and if any freedoms exist, then surely supporting such a cause is one. But, they clearly want to make an example of him, as he was unvaxxed as well.
“A Canadian police officer who was ordered by an adjudicator to work 80 unpaid hours because he gave $50 to the Freedom Convoy has officially filed an appeal with the Ontario Civilian Police Commission, to fight his charge of “discreditable conduct.”
“Constable Michael Brisco has filed a Notice of Appeal with Ontario Civilian Police Commission, challenging tribunal decisions finding him guilty of discreditable conduct and forcing him to work 80 hours without pay for donating $50 to the Freedom Convoy,” said the Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms (JCCF), who is helping Brisco’s legal case, in a press release yesterday.
In May, Constable Michael Brisco of the Windsor Police Service, in a penalty hearing, was given his sentence by retired Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) Superintendent Morris Elbers.
Elbers said the $50 donation was a “serious” violation and that the hours will be worked on vacation or rest days.
In its press release yesterday, the JCCF noted that Brisco is a “highly trained and respected police officer with an exemplary record.”
According to the text of Brisco’s appeal, he is asking the Commission for an order “overturning the Conviction and entering an acquittal,” or an “Order overturning the Conviction and ordering a new hearing,” or alternatively, an “Order imposing an appropriate sentence which is not unduly harsh and excessive.”
Brisco is also asking for leave to “amend this Notice of Appeal particularizing additional grounds of appeal, upon receipt of the hearing transcripts.”
The appeal was signed on June 14, 2023.
On February 8, 2022, Brisco made his $50 donation to the Freedom Convoy’s GiveSendGo account. At the time, he was on unpaid leave after choosing not to comply with the force’s mandatory COVID vaccine policy.
He was later convicted of discreditable conduct under the Police Services Act (PSA) on March 24, after a six-day disciplinary hearing.
The JCCF noted that Brisco’s donation was made aware to the Windsor Police Service after the GiveSendGo donor list was hacked.
“The Ontario Provincial Police intercepted the donor list and assisted in identifying police donors throughout Ontario,” noted the JCCF.
Brisco’s lawyer Christopher Fleury stated that “Thousands of Canadians supported the Freedom Convoy and exercised their Charter right to freedom of expression by donating to the peaceful protest in Ottawa.”
“Among the multiple grounds of appeal, the most glaring error of the Tribunal was its refusal to consider Constable Brisco’s Charter rights at all. The Tribunal was required by law to balance our client’s right to freedom of expression with the statutory objectives of the Police Services Act. Failing to conduct this analysis is a serious error of law,” he noted.
The Freedom Convoy protest took place in early 2022 in Ottawa, and featured thousands of Canadians calling for an end to COVID mandates.
In response, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s federal government enacted the Emergencies Act (EA) on February 14, 2022, to shut down the popular movement.
Trudeau had disparaged unvaccinated Canadians, saying those opposing his measures were of a “small, fringe minority” who hold “unacceptable views” and do not “represent the views of Canadians who have been there for each other.”
Trudeau revoked the EA on February 23 after the protesters had been cleared out.
The use of the EA resulted in about $8 million in locked funds from 267 bank accounts. Additionally, 170 bitcoin wallets were frozen.
The freezing of bank accounts without a court order was an unprecedented action in Canadian history.
Liberal-friendly Judge Paul Rouleau in February of 2023 exonerated Trudeau’s use of the EA to decimate the Freedom Convoy after releasing the final report of the Public Order Emergency Commission.