Mike Ward hoping to crowdfund $93K for legal fees

Quebec comedian Mike Ward is taking to a crowdfunding website to raise money for his legal fees.

Ward is hoping to raise $93,000 to cover legal feeshe's amassed during proceedings before the Quebec Human Rights Tribunal.

The tribunal ruled last week that Ward must pay $35,000 to Jrmy Gabriel for making jokes that violated the rights of the child singer with disabilities.

He must also pay $7,000 to Gabriel's mother, Sylvie Gabriel.

• Mike Ward's Human Rights Tribunal decision, explained
• Comedian Mike Ward ordered to pay $42K to Jrmy Gabriel
• Shock comic Mike Ward on the upside of a human rights lawsuit

"I'm a Canadian comedian that got sued by my government for making fun of a local celebrity that sang for the Pope. I was found guilty by the Quebec Human Rights Commission, I refused to pay," Ward says on his GoFundMe page.

On his Facebook page, Ward explained his refusal to pay, saying in French thathe was doing it "not for myself, but for young comedians, the comedians of tomorrow."

"This ruling not only limits the kind of jokes we can make, but also directly limits criticism. This concerns not only comedians. It concerns journalists, bloggers, Youtubers, critics, and anyone else who dares disagree with someone who takes such criticism as a personal attack," he wrote.

Ward said his legal fees have amounted to $93,000 so far, a figure that's likely to climb as he appeals the tribunal's ruling.

If he exceeds his crowdfundinggoal, Ward said the extra money will go into a fund to assist other comedians facing similar proceedings.

The bilingual comedian said he is also settingup a French crowdfunding page.

As of 8:30 a.m. Wednesday, he had raised more than $15,600.