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After sentencing submissions in April, Sears fired his lawyer, Dean Embry, and attempted to have Blouin reopen the trial so he could call expert witnesses in his defence. Sentencing had been repeatedly delayed as Sears sought to convince Blouin.

Those who promote hatred must be held accountable

In an affidavit submitted to the court, Embry strenuously denied any suggestion he deliberately botched the case, saying he had defended his client to the best of his ability and that his client had accepted his judgments.

“I am proud of the work I did for him,” Embry said.

At the outset of Thursday’s hearing, Sears tried to press his point that Embry had provided ineffective assistance by refusing to call any defence witnesses. Sears said he had gone along with Embry despite his increasing misgivings about the lawyer’s strategy.

“My position is that he’s a lawyer. At the time, I didn’t have the knowledge. I don’t have a God complex,” said Sears, who has repeatedly compared himself to Jesus Christ.

“Is this really just a revisiting of the case?” Blouin asked, saying anyone who loses can blame the lawyer’s tactics.

For its part, the Crown argued in its written submissions that Embry had made a tactical decision that was not now open to the court — or to Sears — to second guess.

Ultimately, Blouin had enough. Sears, he said, had endorsed Embry’s calls.

“Mr. Embry approached the case tactically and professionally,” Blouin said. “This was not incompetence or worse. This was a lawyer doing his job. It just didn’t work.”

Blouin also said he would sentence St. Germaine on Aug. 29. The judge said he had only found out on Wednesday that the publisher was not amenable to a restorative sentencing circle that would have seen him face representatives of his victims.

The Crown wants St. Germaine jailed for a total of six months.

Noah Shack, with the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs, called Sears’ sentence a moment of justice.

“Those who promote hatred must be held accountable,” Shack said. “What starts with words can often lead to violence.”