Commonwealth_ Rumble Inc. (NASDAQ: RUM), a fast-growing video platform and cloud services provider, has teamed up with Rebel News Network and its founder, Ezra Levant, to file a lawsuit against the Government of Canada, Member of Parliament Ya’ara Saks, and other government officials. The plaintiffs allege a coordinated attempt to suppress their constitutional right to free expression by obstructing two public events held in the Toronto area last year. Filed in the Ontario Superior Court of Justice, the lawsuit claims that officials acted unlawfully in an effort to block “Rumble Live” and “Rebel News Live,” two events held on May 10 and 11, 2024, which featured high-profile speakers including Donald J. Trump Jr. The suit alleges that the defendants imposed excessive and unjustified security fees with the intent to discourage the events from taking place.
According to court documents, the plaintiffs accuse the defendants of conspiring to interfere with a legally binding venue agreement by pressuring the event venue located in Downsview Park, North York to charge inflated security costs. These charges reportedly exceeded the actual cost of organizing the events and were imposed despite assurances from local law enforcement that no credible threats or protests were expected.
“The Defendants knew there was no legal basis to prevent the event,” the lawsuit asserts. “Yet, they interfered with the contractual relationship by inducing the venue to breach the agreement and impose unwarranted expenses.”
The plaintiffs are seeking $37,177.80 in reimbursement for the inflated security charges, $250,000 in punitive damages, and compensation for legal expenses. They have also requested that the case be heard in Toronto.
Internal communications cited in the complaint paint a picture of officials actively investigating how to prevent the events based on political bias. One email quoted in the filing reads, “If it happens on or near our property, we might attract an undesirable crowd.” Another message shows an official asking if any clause in the lease could be used to cancel the gathering, acknowledging uncertainty about the legal grounds to do so.
Despite the alleged attempts to thwart them, both “Rumble Live” and “Rebel News Live” were successfully held without incident and drew large audiences. The venue contract, as referenced in the filing, explicitly protected the organizers’ rights to freedom of speech and assembly. It stated:
“The [venue] agrees to uphold free speech principles and contractual obligations, irrespective of the event’s content or the public’s reaction… and shall not cancel or postpone the event due to external pressures, including public dissent, social media campaigns, or politically motivated requests.”
One of the key pieces of evidence cited by the plaintiffs is a social media post by MP Ya’ara Saks, in which she acknowledged political motives for opposing the event. “My conservative opponent, Roman Baber, has been platformed by and interacted with Rebel News at every opportunity,” she wrote on X (formerly Twitter). “Rebel News is clearly supporting Roman Baber.”
This lawsuit follows a separate legal battle in 2023, in which Rebel News and Ezra Levant alleged that government officials had unlawfully blocked them from accessing official government social media accounts. That case ended with a federal judge issuing a consent order in January 2024 requiring the plaintiffs to be unblocked.
Named in the current lawsuit are MP Saks, officials from Canada Lands Company Limited (which oversees Downsview Park), and a representative from CN Tower security services. The plaintiffs argue that the defendants’ actions amount to an unconstitutional suppression of dissent and an attack on journalistic freedoms in Canada.
The case raises broader concerns about government interference in political discourse and the limits of public officials’ authority when it comes to events they may personally or politically oppose.
