Remembering Adamson BBQ: One Man’s Stand for Small Business Freedom Goes to Court
In November 2020, Adam Skelly, owner of Adamson BBQ, became a national symbol of resistance to Ontario’s tyrannical pandemic lockdowns.
Like thousands of small business owners, Skelly was ordered to shut down his livelihood. But instead of complying without question, he asked something few officials were prepared to answer:
Where was the evidence of an emergency severe enough to justify destroying small businesses?
After filing Freedom of Information requests and reviewing the government’s own data—without receiving clear justification—Skelly made a decision that would change his life. He reopened his restaurant.
An Unprecedented Show of Force
Adamson BBQ was located across from a busy Costco, which remained open. Yet Skelly’s decision triggered an extraordinary response.
More than 200 police officers, alongside Toronto Public Health officials and municipal enforcement, descended on the restaurant to shut it down.
The message was unmistakable:
Compliance would be enforced. Dissent would be punished.
Adamson BBQ was ultimately shuttered, and Skelly faced severe personal, financial and legal consequences.
The Case Now Before the Courts
More than five years later, Adam Skelly is seeking accountability.
From February 25–27, 2026, he will appear in court to challenge the actions of:
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The Ontario government
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The City of Toronto
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Toronto Public Health
Skelly argues that the response to his restaurant was disproportionate, unjustified and unlawful, and that emergency powers were used in a way that violated fundamental civil liberties.
This case aims to establish legal limits on government overreach—limits that protect Canadians from losing their businesses, homes, and livelihoods without due process.
Why This Case Matters
Adam Skelly’s legal challenge is a public interest lawsuit. Its outcome could influence how emergency powers are used in the future—and whether governments can deploy overwhelming force against individuals without consequence.
Legal costs are substantial. The campaign is currently $50,000 behind, with additional expenses expected.
If you’re interested in supporting Adam Skelly’s legal fund, visit Give Send Go for more information.
The Lockdowns May Be Over—But the Reckoning Is Not
Adamson BBQ is gone, but the questions raised by its closure remain unresolved.
Skelly showed courage when it mattered. Rather than demanding evidence or defending their rights, most businesses embraced compliance culture, virtue-signaling slogans and government approval—while their peers were crushed as examples. That widespread submission paved the way for tyranny disguised as public health, enforced by overwhelming force and justified by silence.
This case is about more than one restaurant.
It is about freedom, proportionality and the rule of law in Canada.
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