A organizer for the Freedom Convoy says legal bills are mounting as he leaves his Saskatchewan home for Ottawa to attend the fourth leg of his trial.Chris Barber and Tamara Lich are on trial for charges of committing mischief, obstructing police and counselling others to commit mischief and intimidation.In an interview with former MP Derek Sloan on the Rumble channel Funding the Fight, Barber said the trial which began September 5 has involved plenty of travel, accommodation and legal expenses. He estimates that legal fees for his lawyer Diane Magas have been “upwards of 80,000” dollars.“The last bill I (saw) was just about $20,000 that we were behind,” Barber said, noting the Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms had been helpful.“We're supposed to have 16 days of trial and total. We're on day 34 I believe now…. If we have just a hearing for a few hours, we'll sit on Zoom, but for the most part, if it's anything over a day the lawyers want us present in the courtroom.”Barber said the “majority” of evidence used against him concerned social media postings by Lich or himself or those who responded.“People should be a little bit nervous about the amount of things that people post online and how the government can use that against you, Barber said.“They're not saying that I posted anything wrong, but they went through everything with a fine tooth comb as much as they possibly could.”Barber will have a hearing on March 7, followed by trial dates March 13 through 15.“That will get us through some of the defense I believe and then we'll be looking for basically another three, four days on top of that to finish submissions,’ Barber explained, adding those final dates will be in June, July or September.The convoy leader said he had done his best to save funds on travel and accommodation. He drove to Ottawa and back with his wife three times and rented an apartment. However, he said the short duration of the next leg of trial days have left him flying there and back and staying in a hotel.“Between all the lawyers between Tamara and myself and our legal fees all added up, what we've paid will be close to three quarters of a million dollars here by the time the dust settles,” Barber said.Barber’s 20-year-old son has been running the trucking business as his father handles his legal issues.The truck driver was looking forward to a March 9 fundraiser in nearby Swift Current where characters from the convoy will have a mini-reunion.“Tamara and I are not allowed to be in the same room with each other unless legal counsel is present. So we have legal counsel, she's gonna have a little bit of a night with her band on stage, we're gonna have Shadoe Davis from Winnipeg come in and emcee the evening, as well as Tom Morazzo,” Barber said.Those wanting to donate to Barber through Sloan can e-transfer to fundingthefight@proton.me with the password “freedom” and “Chris” in the memo.
