Author: Rita Smith

RWN is grateful to contributors like Patriot Smoothie and The Democracy Fund, which have given permission for us to share their court coverage in the absence of any livestream for the Barber/Lich Trial.
News

Barber/Lich trial progress delayed as judge questions evidence

Rita Smith

Reports from the Ottawa Courthouse on the trial of Freedom Convoy organizers Chris Barber and Tamara Lich are that little progress is being made. Evidence which Crown attorneys wish to use is being questioned by the  Justice Heather Perkins-McVey, who

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The illustration on the inside cover looked vaguely familiar; I thought I'd seen that photograph somewhere before too -- a tray full of little frosted petit-fours.
Rita Smith's Blogs

The Cookbook Story

Rita Smith

Monday morning, September 18, 2000, I was in my car and headed to a film company on Eastern Avenue. I was scheduled to be at a commercial shoot at 9:30 a.m. This was to be the last commercial of a

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Ottawa's Director, By-Law and Regulatory Services Roger Chapman helped present certificate to drivers who completed training. Driver Mahmoud Abou-Akrouche is one of the newest Taxi drivers in Canada's capital. Photo: Taxi News
NewsTaxi industry news

Coventry team and Ottawa officials congratulate city’s newest Taxi drivers

Rita Smith

Demonstration of brand new Accessible vans was a highlight —Updated August 29 with additional information. Ottawa’s newest class Taxi drivers has finished training and is ready for the road. CEO of Coventry Connections Marc André Way welcomed two dozen new

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Image: Ontario MAG
NewsTrucking

Fake Trucking schools headed for “judge and jury” trial November, 2024

Rita Smith

The “fake Trucking schools” criminal case appears to be headed for trial in the Superior Court of Justice (SCJ) in November, 2024.

While some administrative details remain to be worked out, Crown Attorney Julian Whitten pointed out, “We have over a year to get that together.”

“We have lots of time,” Justice H.W. Carl deJong agreed. He assigned the date of October 4th, 2023 for a return date for all of the lawyers to return and “get everything in order for SCJ.”

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Ottawa Courthouse Photo: Wikimedia Commons
NewsTrucking

Fake Trucking school court case scheduled to begin August 16

Rita Smith

After waits and delays amounting to 16 months, the trial scheduled for several men charged with operating fake Trucking schools is expected to begin this morning, August 16th.

However, as has been seen in past sessions, delays requested by counsel for the accused men resulted in postponement to new dates. On June 7th, when defendents’ counsel and the crown attorney L. Welch presented before the justice, August 15th was selected as the start date for the trial; however, on August 14th, Road Warrior News was informed by court staff that the start date is now August 16th.

Court proceedings have been ongoing for more than a year since the charges were laid. When another delay was requested at the May 24th, 2023 proceedings, Crown Attorney L. Welch noted, “This file is already pretty old.”

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