WINDSOR, Ontario (LifeSiteNews) – An officer who works for the Windsor Police will soon find out how many hours of unpaid work he must perform as punishment for making a $50 donation to the Freedom Convoy last year.
On February 7, 2022, Constable Michael Brisco of the Windsor police 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 a mandatory COVID jab policy then in effect.
Brisco was later convicted of discreditable conduct under the Police Services Act (PSA). Last Thursday at a penalty hearing, he learned that his employer wants him to work 140 hours for free as punishment.
According to his defense lawyer Shane Miles, who is asking for 40 hours of unpaid work, his client did nothing wrong other than give a donation, which was never received by the Freedom Convoy.
“This isn’t an officer who used force that was excessive,” Miles said.
“This isn’t an officer who treated the public poorly,” Miles continued, adding, “This is an officer who donated $50.”
Miles noted how Brisco’s $50, like everyone else’s money donated to the Freedom Convoy, never made it to the Convoy leaders because the federal government froze the Freedom Convoy organizers’ online accounts.
The adjudicator for Brisco’s hearing was retired Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) Superintendent Morris Elbers, who claimed that the $50 donation was a “serious” violation.
Windsor police lawyer David Amyott wants Brisco to be punished with 140 hours of unpaid leave and said that Brisco was not remorseful for an “acceptance of wrongdoing.”
Brisco has not pleaded guilty to his charge under the PSA, because he said that his case is critical for bringing up a public discussion about his right to hold the views he wants.
“It’s important to learn and understand for the future because it will inform other officers,” said Miles.
Brisco noted, however, that he is “ready to accept whatever penalty you wish to give me.”
Elbers will be making his final decision no later than May 19.
The Freedom Convoy protests in Ottawa calling for an end to COVID mandates resulted in Prime Minister Justin Trudeau enacting the Emergencies Act (EA) on February 14, 2022, to shut it down.
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.
There are still Canadians being charged for having participated in the Freedom Convoy.
Last week, LifeSiteNews reported about Canadian father and trucker Harold Jonker, who is facing four criminal charges because he participated in the Freedom Convoy.
Jonker, who runs Jonker Trucking Inc. out of Niagara, Ontario, said he is “confident” in the face of his four criminal charges and that he has put his trust in “God.”
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 and was only allowed through the Liberal government’s invocation of the never-before-used EA.
Liberal-friendly Judge Paul Rouleau in February exonerated Trudeau’s use of the EA to decimate the Freedom Convoy after releasing the final report of the Public Order Emergency Commission