A Friday morning eviction hearing for The United People of Canada (TUPOC) was postponed to September 19 because the group claimed they were not given sufficient notice of the hearing. TUPOC describes itself as a “diverse, intergenerational, fraternal organization” that focuses on building “strong families and communities” and denies any ties to the escort. The group moved to the former cathedral of St. Brigid, which they started calling “the embassy,” in Ottawa’s Lowertown neighborhood earlier this summer. Fierce community resistance quickly grew amid questions about possible ties between some members and the convoy that blocked downtown Ottawa streets for three weeks earlier this year, leading to hundreds of criminal charges and arrests in a major police crackdown on the convoy . Story continues below ad In recent weeks, the future of the St. Brigid was unclear after the property owners issued a notice of intent to evict TUPOC from the premises on August 26, sparking an ongoing legal dispute.
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Group with suspected ‘Freedom Convoy’ ties faces eviction from Ottawa church
TUPOC board member William Komer argued in court Friday that the group did not receive adequate notice of the eviction hearing because the group’s corporate address is in London, Ont. — not Ottawa. Komer said that because the eviction matter is being heard in Ottawa, the Commercial Lease Act requires three days’ notice, plus an additional day for every 20 miles the respondents travel from the source of the complaint. Judge Sally Gormery said that while digital communication allows for quick communication regardless of distance, the letter of the law says at least 20 days notice is required for a hearing in this case. However, Gormery imposed a number of conditions on the team when she agreed to delay the process until September 19.
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Among these, TUPOC members must not harass or obstruct the bailiff from performing their duties on the property, TUPOC cannot prevent other tenants or their customers/clients from parking on the property and must allow contractors on place to work in the church boiler with 24 hours notice. Trending Stories
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Story continues below ad A former rectory on the property now includes space for artists, a dry cleaner and a law office, according to a member of the property’s ownership group, Patrick MacDonald. “I have a lot of tenants down there who have also been documented to have been harassed, which I hope is the case today with the judge’s decision and direction to stop their harassment and give them the parking they previously agreed to with me as tenants.” McDonald told reporters outside court Friday. “The water pistol brigade has to stop,” MacDonald said. Komer and other TUPOC members have patrolled the property and used what they call “unconventional rounds” to repel alleged trespassers. These “unconventional rounds” are sprays from water guns. Komer denies all allegations of harassment, saying he and TUPOC members have broken no laws. “The owner of the building told us [the other tenants] they didn’t have a right to the parking spaces, and that’s correct, but they’re not making a different statement that we understand is perjury,” Komer said of the parking issue after court. Story continues below ad
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When the issue of parking came up at the hearing, Judge Gormery read a lease agreement submitted by McDonald saying all tenants have the right to park on the property. Komer says he has a recording of one of the property owners contradicting that, which he plans to submit as evidence. On August 17, a bailiff attempted to publish the termination of the lease, but was met with resistance from TUPOC supporters at the premises. The bailiff returned the next day and issued the notice, which says the group owed more than $10,000 in rent and had failed to provide evidence that it had $5 million in liability insurance. Komer says this is an illegal eviction attempt. Despite being asked multiple times outside court if TUPOC had paid their rent, Komer did not give a straight answer, instead saying they had the money and accusing the property owner of obstructing fundraising efforts to pay for the property. McDonald’s lawyer Gordon Douglas says that, as far as they are concerned, there will be two grounds for eviction once the hearing resumes on September 19: the initial failure to pay rent and a 30-day notice period for failure to enter into a previously agreed deposit by September 10. “So I expect on September 10th or September 11th, a second notice of termination will be posted on the door by the bailiff, and that will be for failure to pay the deposit,” Douglas said. Story continues below ad The building is currently back on the real estate market, priced at $5.9 million. © 2022 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
