Jim Karahalios
Jim Karahalios spoke 87 times across 1 day of testimony.
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Jim Karahalios, Counsel (Benjamin Dichter)
Thank you, Mr. Mather. My name is Jim Karahalios. I’m counsel for the witness, Mr. Dichter. My last name is spelled k-a-r-a-h-a-l-i-o-s. Thank you, Mr. Commissioner, for giving me a minute in the introduction. Mr. Dichter has a couple of requests. As the Commission had posted on their website, Mr. Dichter made a late application for standing. That was dismissed. In that application, the application for standing was done jointly with Mr. Christopher Garrah who, as we saw in the previous report, was the lead on Adopt a Trucker Campaign. Mr. Garrah has standing as a member of the -- what we are calling “the convoy organizer group”. Mr. Garrah’s in attendance here today. We received yesterday the time allocations today with regards to after the evidence in-chief is provided. It provides for 15 minutes for the convoy organizers and five minutes for, I believe, the Democracy Fund, the JCCF, and 10 minutes for Mr. Dichter’s counsel. Given that the convoy organizers and the JCCF Democracy Fund have very similar interests, Mr. Dichter would like to ask the Commissioner, with the approval of Mr. Garrah who’s a member of, jointly, the convoy organizers in standing, and gives his approval, to consider -- and I hope my friend from the convoy organizers would agree to reallocate some of the 15 minutes provided to the convoy organizers to Mr. Dichter’s counsel at the end for further questions.
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Jim Karahalios, Counsel (Benjamin Dichter)
That’s correct. I think that would better balance the time allocation after the evidence in-chief with the interests of everyone involved.
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Jim Karahalios, Counsel (Benjamin Dichter)
I haven’t had a chance to discuss with my friend but Mr. Garrah is here today in attendance and he’s a member, jointly having standing with the convoy organizers, and he gave his blessing. So I apologize, Mr. Commissioner, I haven’t had a chance to talk to legal counsel of the convoy organizers in advance.
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Jim Karahalios, Counsel (Benjamin Dichter)
Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Commissioner. The second brief thing I’d like to ask on behalf of Mr. Dichter is, in his application to have his counsel lead his testimony here today, you correctly pointed out, Mr. Commissioner, Rule 59 that allows Mr. Dichter to apply for additional time in the evidence in-chief led by his counsel, if I understand it correctly. At the end of Mr. Mather’s evidence in-chief, if you could just give Mr. Dichter a little bit of time to decide whether he want that Rule 59 Application to be brought forward to you for more time in evidence in-chief by me, that would be appreciated.
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Jim Karahalios, Counsel (Benjamin Dichter)
Different periods of the testimony but yes, similar.
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Jim Karahalios, Counsel (Benjamin Dichter)
Okay.
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Jim Karahalios, Counsel (Benjamin Dichter)
Thank you, Mr. Commissioner.
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Jim Karahalios, Counsel (Benjamin Dichter)
If, Mr. Commissioner, you're going to make us pick between now or the end, I think you're right, the end is better. I think what Mr. Dichter is suggesting that I be able to ask a couple of question now, leading questions, and at the end have the opportunity to close with non-leading questions, as per Rule 59.
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Jim Karahalios, Counsel (Benjamin Dichter)
At this time, five minutes.
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Jim Karahalios, Counsel (Benjamin Dichter)
Yes.
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Jim Karahalios, Counsel (Benjamin Dichter)
Thank you, Mr. Commissioner.
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Jim Karahalios, Counsel (Benjamin Dichter)
I’d like to point the witness to BJD40, sorry BRB40, my mistake. Mr. Dichter, do you recognize the screen shot?
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Jim Karahalios, Counsel (Benjamin Dichter)
And who was part of this group chat?
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Jim Karahalios, Counsel (Benjamin Dichter)
You made a statement in that group chat on February 14th at 6:51 a.m. talking about how you were being accused of certain things from supporters on your Twitter space the night before or early morning ---
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Jim Karahalios, Counsel (Benjamin Dichter)
--- depending how you look at it, 1:00 a.m.. What was the response to your -- if we can scroll down, we can see a response to Mr. Dichter’s statement there. Can you read that out for the Commission?
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Jim Karahalios, Counsel (Benjamin Dichter)
Where was Ms. Lich staying during the protest?
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Jim Karahalios, Counsel (Benjamin Dichter)
Where were you staying during the protest?
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Jim Karahalios, Counsel (Benjamin Dichter)
What floor were you on?
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Jim Karahalios, Counsel (Benjamin Dichter)
What floor was she on?
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Jim Karahalios, Counsel (Benjamin Dichter)
How often did you guys see each other?
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Jim Karahalios, Counsel (Benjamin Dichter)
Did she ever mention to you in those frequent interactions that she was working on or had reached any kind of deal with the mayor?
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Jim Karahalios, Counsel (Benjamin Dichter)
And this exchange on the group chat seems to confirm that?
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Jim Karahalios, Counsel (Benjamin Dichter)
Mr. Commissioner, am I allowed to ask about the email HR1491 that Mr. Mather was asking Mr. Dichter about just now, a different aspect of the content?
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Jim Karahalios, Counsel (Benjamin Dichter)
HRF1491.
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Jim Karahalios, Counsel (Benjamin Dichter)
I'll do my best. If we can scroll down. This was referenced in Mr. Wilson's testimony yesterday. He suggested to the Commission that this was your sign off on a deal. Can you read the first sentence or line of the first sentence of the second paragraph of this email from Mr. Wilson?
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Jim Karahalios, Counsel (Benjamin Dichter)
Did a draft communication ever follow?
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Jim Karahalios, Counsel (Benjamin Dichter)
Did you receive any other email?
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Jim Karahalios, Counsel (Benjamin Dichter)
Can we scroll down to the attachment that was with this email? Can you have a quick review of this attachment document, Mr. Dichter?
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Jim Karahalios, Counsel (Benjamin Dichter)
Let me know when you're done.
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Jim Karahalios, Counsel (Benjamin Dichter)
Does this look like a document that’s a deal or a contract between two parties?
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Jim Karahalios, Counsel (Benjamin Dichter)
What is this? Like, in your experience as a communications person, what is this document?
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Jim Karahalios, Counsel (Benjamin Dichter)
Like a press release?
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Jim Karahalios, Counsel (Benjamin Dichter)
Okay. If I can ask the Commission to pull up a document that I'm -- BJB12? It's an article in the Toronto Sun talking about Dean French working on a deal. If we can scroll down to, I think, the fourth page on some text, maybe go up? Okay, down, sorry, the next line in the article. Maybe it's page 3. Sorry to have you fishing. There's an article in this document, Mr. Dichter. Have you seen this article?
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Jim Karahalios, Counsel (Benjamin Dichter)
Where Mr. French gives his public perspective ---
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Jim Karahalios, Counsel (Benjamin Dichter)
--- on the protest, and he says, on page 6 of the document, "I don’t believe in protesting or honking on residential streets." Do you know who Dean French is?
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Jim Karahalios, Counsel (Benjamin Dichter)
How did he end his tenure as chief of staff to the premier?
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Jim Karahalios, Counsel (Benjamin Dichter)
Did you read or hear the mayor's testimony on Dean French?
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Jim Karahalios, Counsel (Benjamin Dichter)
Former Chief Sloly testified that the mood on the ground was a powder keg. If the truckers heard that their interests were being represented by the first chief of staff of the premier who was responsible for most of the mandates in Ontario at a provincial level, how would the mood have changed on the ground, or did it change when reports came out that it was Dean French talking to the mayor and Mr. Wilson and Mr. Marazzo?
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Jim Karahalios, Counsel (Benjamin Dichter)
Am I allowed one more question, Mr. Commissioner?
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Jim Karahalios, Counsel (Benjamin Dichter)
Thank you. You mentioned a War of the Worlds video. You mentioned dealing with a Jordon Peterson podcast, I think, talking about how we're not here to overtake the government. Specifically, is the War of the Worlds video that you're talking about submitted a video, Mr. Wilson, BJD-8, and the reason that you felt you needed to explain that you guys weren’t here was in response to the February 8th press conference of Tom Marazzo, correct?
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Jim Karahalios, Counsel (Benjamin Dichter)
Mr. Wilson yesterday testified that when he met Tom Marazzo, he was very impressed with his calm demeanour. I'll ask the Commission to pull up a video, BJD-17. It's 20 seconds, starting at 3:40. (VIDEO PLAYBACK)
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Jim Karahalios, Counsel (Benjamin Dichter)
I think that’s all we need. I'm sure Ms. Zexi Liwould be very proud of Mr. Marazzo talking about supporters of ---
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Jim Karahalios, Counsel (Benjamin Dichter)
Mr. Dichter, what can you say about Mr. Marazzo's demeanour in the context of Mr. Wilson saying yesterday he found him a good negotiator?
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Jim Karahalios, Counsel (Benjamin Dichter)
Okay.
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Jim Karahalios, Counsel (Benjamin Dichter)
Mr. Commissioner, I'm going to object.
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Jim Karahalios, Counsel (Benjamin Dichter)
I think the questions are getting a little argumentative and accusing the witness of lying. I don’t think that’s their role.
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Jim Karahalios, Counsel (Benjamin Dichter)
Mr. Commissioner, is he asking the question or answering on behalf of the witness?
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Jim Karahalios, Counsel (Benjamin Dichter)
Mr. Commissioner, just for the record, I thought the parties or the rules were to provide the witness with at least three days of the evidence they were going to call, so I'm just, for the record, the next piece of evidence and the last two, Mr. Dichter was not aware that it was going to be presented to him today.
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Jim Karahalios, Counsel (Benjamin Dichter)
Yes, I will, Commissioner.
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Jim Karahalios, Counsel (Benjamin Dichter)
Mr. Dichter, what can you tell the Commission about Twitter passwords?
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Jim Karahalios, Counsel (Benjamin Dichter)
Who were the first seven members of the Freedom Corporation, if I can call it that? You gave the name earlier. Do you remember the names of the first seven directors of the corporation?
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Jim Karahalios, Counsel (Benjamin Dichter)
What’s your relationship with Sean Tiessen?
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Jim Karahalios, Counsel (Benjamin Dichter)
When was the last time you spoke to Sean Tiessen.
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Jim Karahalios, Counsel (Benjamin Dichter)
Can you share with the Commission your conversation with Sean Tiessen at that time?
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Jim Karahalios, Counsel (Benjamin Dichter)
Earlier, my friend from the Convoy Organizers asked you -- asked you about your membership or your position in the Convoy Organization. Are you still a member of the Convoy Organization?
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Jim Karahalios, Counsel (Benjamin Dichter)
There’s been some dispute in the questions as to who was retained by the corporation so I’m not going to get into the details of whether JCCF was retained or Mr. Wilson, but can you just tell me, in your experience dealing with lawyers -- I think you testified that your mom was a paralegal -- what do lawyers get retained to do?
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Jim Karahalios, Counsel (Benjamin Dichter)
Sure. He was -- my friend from the Convoy Organizers was asking Mr. Dichter about the relationship with counsel and I don’t think that evidence has been provided accurately. Mr. Dichter has his -- an opportunity here to answer the question, what his perspective, as a member of -- Director of the Convoy Organization, what they hired lawyers to do, what the job of those lawyers was to do, and what they were doing on behalf of the board. That’s what I’m trying to get at.
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Jim Karahalios, Counsel (Benjamin Dichter)
Okay. I’ll ask a couple of other questions and I’ll see if ---
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Jim Karahalios, Counsel (Benjamin Dichter)
--- I can reframe it. You’re a defendant in the class action that came up earlier. After the injunction on the horn honking took place, are you aware of anyone in Ottawa that faced any charges or any other legal ramifications after the injunction to stop honking was put in place by the court?
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Jim Karahalios, Counsel (Benjamin Dichter)
You’re aware, in that same proceeding, there was a series of Mareva injunctions and escrow orders?
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Jim Karahalios, Counsel (Benjamin Dichter)
Can you tell the Commission your experience with -- as a defendant in that proceeding your experience with those Mareva injunctions and escrow orders?
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Jim Karahalios, Counsel (Benjamin Dichter)
And what were you asked to do as part of those court orders?
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Jim Karahalios, Counsel (Benjamin Dichter)
And what did you do with that seed phrase and the code?
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Jim Karahalios, Counsel (Benjamin Dichter)
You testified earlier with my friends from the Ottawa Neighbourhood Association -- apologies if I'm not identifying the party correctly -- that the term “honking” became popular as a tag. What was the incident during the protests that led to “honking” becoming something that would get traction on social media online?
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Jim Karahalios, Counsel (Benjamin Dichter)
Was the “#honking” or “honk” more popular after the horn injunction or less popular?
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Jim Karahalios, Counsel (Benjamin Dichter)
Are you suggesting that the “#honk” replaced actual honking on the street?
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Jim Karahalios, Counsel (Benjamin Dichter)
If I can ask the clerk to bring up HRF1291, page 55. It’s a long PDF. I apologize. There’s a series of text message between Dean French and Mr. Wilson.
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Jim Karahalios, Counsel (Benjamin Dichter)
Page 55 of the PDF.
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Jim Karahalios, Counsel (Benjamin Dichter)
Mr. Dichter, do you see that?
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Jim Karahalios, Counsel (Benjamin Dichter)
Can you read it?
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Jim Karahalios, Counsel (Benjamin Dichter)
Who is Katie Telford?
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Jim Karahalios, Counsel (Benjamin Dichter)
Is there -- can you tell us about the significance of this text message from Mr. French to Mr. Wilson?
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Jim Karahalios, Counsel (Benjamin Dichter)
And in your time providing messaging on behalf of the protests or the corporation, did anyone from the Premier’s office or the Prime Minister’s office approach you for a discussion to get to a peaceful resolution?
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Jim Karahalios, Counsel (Benjamin Dichter)
Just one second, Mr. Commissioner. HRF1325, please, Mr. Clerk. Mr. Dichter, you identified the members, the directors of the corporation. You see this document seems to be meeting notes from a meeting at City Hall?
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Jim Karahalios, Counsel (Benjamin Dichter)
What directors from the corporation were at this meeting?
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Jim Karahalios, Counsel (Benjamin Dichter)
Can you say that again, please?
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Jim Karahalios, Counsel (Benjamin Dichter)
I think we’re close to wrapping it up, if you can just give me 15 seconds, Mr. Commissioner.
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Jim Karahalios, Counsel (Benjamin Dichter)
There is an email in evidence-- and I'm running out of time so I'm not going to look for the number. And at the -- it’s an email form Mr. Wilson to you. And the third line of the email says, “Trudeau will be pissed.” Can you tell us your opinion on that line from Mr. Wilson to you? “Trudeau will be pissed.”
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Jim Karahalios, Counsel (Benjamin Dichter)
It is an email from Mr. Wilson to Mr. Dichter submitted into evidence. And I would like Mr. Dichter to share his thoughts on what he thought of an email concluding with “Trudeau will be pissed” from Mr. Wilson.
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Jim Karahalios, Counsel (Benjamin Dichter)
If I can take a few minutes I’ll find you the document. I just thought for the -- it wasn’t a document submitted by Mr. Dichter. I assumed the other parties knew the document.
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Jim Karahalios, Counsel (Benjamin Dichter)
We’ll try to identify it. Just give us a moment.
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Jim Karahalios, Counsel (Benjamin Dichter)
I’m trying to find it, Mr. Commissioner. I apologize.
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Jim Karahalios, Counsel (Benjamin Dichter)
HRF1276. Can you read the email to yourself, Mr. Dichter? Do you see the last line I'm telling you about?
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Jim Karahalios, Counsel (Benjamin Dichter)
When you read a line from Mr. Wilson at the time -- “Trudeau is going to be pissed” -- can you tell us -- can you give the Commission -- shed some light to the Commission on what you're reading there.
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Jim Karahalios, Counsel (Benjamin Dichter)
I disagree. It goes to the motivation of the individual sending the email to Mr. Dichter.
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Jim Karahalios, Counsel (Benjamin Dichter)
Thank you, Commissioner.
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Jim Karahalios, Counsel (Benjamin Dichter)
No.