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What appears to have started as an altercation in a liquor store over refusing to wear a mask has netted a B.C. man one year in jail for contempt of court after he continuously argued his freeman-on-the-land pseudo-law to the judge.

According to an April 18 B.C. Provincial Court decision, Judge David Patterson sentenced Cameron Hardy to an unusually harsh one-year jail sentence after multiple attempts to hold a trial over a separate charge ended in disarray.

The decision says Hardy is a "freeman-on-the-land" believer and repeatedly spouted bizarre and unintelligible arguments throughout his court process.

"He proclaims that he was created by the creative source. He claims to be a man of mankind, being something other than a human being," Judge Patterson says in the decision. "Simply put, he says that he is a man, a mankind, not some legal identity on a piece of paper that was created by man and owned by man. Accordingly, in his mind, he is not a person or an individual, and therefore the courts of British Columbia hold no jurisdiction over him."

The decision says Hardy self-identifies by various names, including "A Man Known As Cameron Hardy" and "A Man Commonly Called Cameron Hardy."

The circumstances that led up to Hardy's arrest are unclear but in May 2021 he was charged with wilfully obstructing three police officers.

In his statement to the court at the time he said he was medically exempt from wearing a mask but a liquor store had refused to accommodate him. He also told the court  that it had no authority over him as he was a "freeman."

"I am a freeman being prisoned for breathing freely," he told the court. "You kidnapped me, you stole from me, you abused me, you tortured me in the cell on a cold, hard, concrete floor, you assaulted me."

His problems escalated from there.

Hardy refused to sign paperwork with the RCMP to be released. He later refused to accept the terms of a release order from the judge so remained in custody.

When in custody he refused to put on a mask so he could be moved to the phone room for a court appearance.

At another court appearance, he told the judge, "I am not Mr. Hardy, just so you know. I am a man commonly called Cameron Hardy and by special appearance challenge jurisdiction."

This kind of bizarre behaviour went on over numerous court appearances.

"I may never understand the true reason Hardy has acted in the manner he has," the judge said. "Nonetheless, he has relied upon Organized Pseudo-legal Commercial Arguments theory misinformation to delay and disrupt his court proceedings."

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And it's not the first time.

The decision says Hardy was previously sentenced to 30 days in jail for refusing to file income tax returns in 2007.

The decision gives examples of multiple play-by-play conversations Hardy had with the judge. The conversations are more reminiscent of a teacher dealing with an unruly pupil than what you'd expect in a court of law.

"Don't interrupt me. Don't interrupt me, Mr. Hardy. Let me finish," the judge said in one instance.

"Don't, stop. Don't speak to me again until I invite you to do so," the judge said in another.

He often spoke over the judge, ignored what was being said to him, and refused to enter a plea.

At one point he put his back to the camera and his fingers in his ears. At other points, he talked a lot.

"Hardy would not be silenced, so I had him returned to cells," the judge said.

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The judge however did try to work with him.

"To try and appease Hardy, I called him by his preferred titles, 'A man known as Cameron' and 'The man known as Cameron Hardy.' It made no difference to Hardy," the justice said.

After four attempts to have a trial for his charge, the judge had had enough.

"I gave Hardy firm notice that the court would not tolerate his behaviour. Hardy refused to acknowledge or accept the court's authority and its process's integrity," judge Patterson said. "Hardy seemed more interested in doing what he could to stop the trial from proceeding and putting on a show for his numerous acquaintances in the courtroom gallery."

The judge called Hardy's arguments vexatious and frivolous.

"His arguments were not merely legally false but often just plain stupid," the judge said. "He had no hope of success; thus, logically, his only purpose was to frustrate the court and waste government resources."

Ultimately, the judge sentenced him to one year jail.

"Hardy is of the view that this court has no jurisdiction over him. He is wrong," the judge said.

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It's unclear where this leaves Hardy's original charge.

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