Persecution in Alberta

[mossrose]

And some good news!

https://www.jccf.ca/pastor-james-coa...gram-decision/

Pastor James Coates and GraceLife Church acquitted following Ingram decision



STONY PLAIN, AB: The Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms is pleased to announce that Pastor James Coates and GraceLife Church have been acquitted of all charges. This follows the consequential Ingram v. Alberta decision, in which Justice Barbara Romaine of the Alberta Court of King’s Bench determined that the Covid health restrictions imposed by the Government of Alberta were invalid.

Pastor Coates and the congregation of GraceLife church had been gathering for worship services throughout 2020 and 2021, exercising their Charter freedoms of religion, conscience, association and peaceful assembly. On February 15, 2021, after holding a church service the previous day, Pastor Coates was arrested by officers of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) for violating gathering restrictions. When he refused to sign an undertaking promising that he would obey Public Health Orders which unjustifiably violated his Charter freedoms, Pastor Coates was jailed in the Edmonton Remand Centre on February 16, 2021. Counsel for Pastor Coates filed an appeal to have him released before his trial, which had been set for May 3-5, 2021.

On March 22, 2021, after spending 35 days in jail, Pastor Coates was released from jail. At a June 7, 2021 hearing, Judge Robert Shaigec stated that Pastor Coates’ right to liberty had not been violated by his 35-day jailing since he could have complied with the undertaking and could have agreed to observe the Public Health Orders.

On July 31, 2023, the Alberta Court of King’s Bench released a consequential decision in Ingram v. Alberta: the Public Health Orders that Pastor Coates and GraceLife church had violated were found to be ultra vires the Public Health Act and were, therefore, invalid. The Act requires that all decisions with respect to public health orders must be made by the Chief Medical Officer of Health and not by the Alberta Cabinet. In her concluding remarks, Justice Barbara Romaine stated, “While involvement of elected officials in these important decisions may be desirable and even necessary, this involvement should have been structured in such a way as to mitigate the risk of political priorities interfering with the informed and well-qualified judgment of the [Chief Medical Officer of Health], as provided in the Public Health Act, without ignoring the underlying public interest.” (emphasis added)

As a consequence of this decision, all charges against Pastor Coates and GraceLife Church have been dismissed by the Crown, and the Crown will not be seeking a further jail sentence for Pastor Coates. Further, it is expected that the Alberta Crown will withdraw all Covid-related tickets and may reimburse all fines for violations of Covid-related public health orders paid by Albertans.

Justice Centre President John Carpay stated, “It has been, and remains, a great honour to assist and stand with courageous Albertans like Pastor James Coates, Sheila Annette Lewis, Pastor Tim Stephens, Ty Northcott, and so many other courageous Canadians who exercised their Charter freedoms when faced with unjust and unscientific lockdown measures.”

Lawyer Leighton Grey stated, “Pastor James Coates and GraceLife Church endured a great deal of vilification and abuse during the COVID-19 pandemic. This was meted out by the media, the Kenney government, Alberta Health Services, the RCMP, many Albertans, and even the Alberta Courts. One Judge went so far as to accuse Pastor Coates of endangering the lives of many Albertans, without there being any evidence before the Court to substantiate that accusation. That same Judge even threatened to give Coates even more jail time than the 35 days he had already served. Another Judge told Pastor Coates that, despite having been jailed, his Charter right to liberty had somehow not been violated. In the end, all of the Covid lockdown restrictions were declared illegal. So, this is a day of justice for Pastor Coates and indeed for every Albertan who continues to support the Supremacy of God and the Rule of Law.”

[mossrose]

And more!

https://www.jccf.ca/charges-withdraw...aptist-church/

Charges withdrawn against Fairview Baptist Church

CALGARY, AB: The Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms is pleased to announce that all charges for violating Public Health Orders against Fairview Baptist Church have been withdrawn by Crown prosecutors.

In early 2021, charges were laid against Pastor Timothy Stephens and Fairview Baptist Church for violating Public Health Orders, which included mandates regarding gathering limitations, masking, and social distancing. On May 6, 2021, Associate Chief Justice John Rooke of the Alberta Court of Queen’s Bench issued a restraining order that applied not only to the Whistle Stop Café but also to anyone acting independently of the Café anywhere in Alberta.

This Order was amended by Associate Chief Justice Rooke on May 13, 2021. Its scope was restricted to the Café only and to those acting in concert with the Café. As a result of the amendment, the restraining order could no longer apply to Pastor Stephens or Fairview Baptist Church.

Nevertheless, on May 16, 2021, the Calgary Police arrested Pastor Stephens at Fairview Baptist Church on the pretext of an irrelevant and over-broad restraining order. Pastor Stephens spent 18 days in jail but was released when provincial gathering restrictions were removed on July 1, 2021. Soon thereafter, four of the six charges laid against him were dropped by the Crown.

On September 15, 2022, Pastor Stephens went to trial on two remaining charges of violating public health orders. On November 1, 2022, Judge Allan Fradsham determined that Pastor Stephens had not been guilty of the two remaining charges.

On August 29, 2023, the Crown withdrew all charges against Fairview Baptist Church.

This follows the consequential Ingram v. Alberta decision. The Public Health Orders that Fairview Baptist Church had violated were found to be ultra vires the Public Health Act and were, therefore, invalid. The Act requires that all decisions with respect to public health orders must be made by the Chief Medical Officer of Health and not by the Alberta Cabinet. In her concluding remarks, Justice Barbara Romaine stated, “While involvement of elected officials in these important decisions may be desirable and even necessary, this involvement should have been structured in such a way as to mitigate the risk of political priorities interfering with the informed and well-qualified judgment of the [Chief Medical Officer of Health], as provided in the Public Health Act, without ignoring the underlying public interest.” (emphasis added)

“The Justice Centre is pleased to have been able to ensure that legal representation was provided to Pastor Tim Stephens, Pastor James Coates, Ty Northcott, and so many other courageous citizens who appropriately exercised their Charter rights and freedoms even when these were being unjustifiably violated by governments, from March of 2020 onwards,” stated John Carpay, president of the Justice Centre.

[Thoughtful Monk]

To repeat what I said a couple posts ago, looks like with hindsight, the government's response was overreach. Hopefully, the government will think harder before going the lockdown route again. However, since I'm already reading about some places resuming masking requirements, I'm not hopeful.

(In NY, I'm expecting Governor Hochul to jump at an opportunity to reimpose lockdowns and masking.

[mossrose]

To repeat what I said a couple posts ago, looks like with hindsight, the government's response was overreach. Hopefully, the government will think harder before going the lockdown route again. However, since I'm already reading about some places resuming masking requirements, I'm not hopeful.

(In NY, I'm expecting Governor Hochul to jump at an opportunity to reimpose lockdowns and masking.

I wouldn't be at all surprised if Trudeau tried mandating masks and vaxes again. However, I don't think Premier Smith of Alberta will follow that here. She is already standing up to him regarding his stupid carbon tax and his trying to shut down the petroleum industry here.

[mikewhitney]

To repeat what I said a couple posts ago, looks like with hindsight, the government's response was overreach. Hopefully, the government will think harder before going the lockdown route again. However, since I'm already reading about some places resuming masking requirements, I'm not hopeful.

(In NY, I'm expecting Governor Hochul to jump at an opportunity to reimpose lockdowns and masking.

It was interesting in church gatherings after the lockdowns. People were told they have to wear masks (except the pastor when preaching).

Well. One guy kept entering in without a mask and was asked if he needed a mask. he said he had one -- which is true. He just walked in and put the mask in his pocket. Shortly afterwards others were told this guy had an exemption.

A woman also was without a mask even though her husband and young'uns wore masks. I'm not sure what her story was.

[Ronson]

To repeat what I said a couple posts ago, looks like with hindsight, the government's response was overreach. Hopefully, the government will think harder before going the lockdown route again. However, since I'm already reading about some places resuming masking requirements, I'm not hopeful.

(In NY, I'm expecting Governor Hochul to jump at an opportunity to reimpose lockdowns and masking.

I don't know about in Canada, but the lockdowns here were coincidentally advantageous for voting without identity verification. So I assume they will reinstate it in the US so Biden can win again. I mean, what better way to vote than to drop a ballot into a curbside box while driving through McDonald's?

[mossrose]

I don't know about in Canada, but the lockdowns here were coincidentally advantageous for voting without identity verification. So I assume they will reinstate it in the US so Biden can win again. I mean, what better way to vote than to drop a ballot into a curbside box while driving through McDonald's?

Trudeau called a snap election in the fall of 2021. The same thing happened. Mail in ballots were mostly the issue here. We went in person to an advance poll, as we usually do. I have no doubt that there were issues with the mail ins and some of the stupid voting machines. Trudeau won a minority government and then proceeded to announce to the world that he had "been given a mandate by the people of Canada" to continue with his stupidity.

People were still in fear mode over the pandemic. So they were happy to hide in their houses and trust the government funded postal system.

It's very possible that another election will be called for next month. Trudeau is sliding swiftly into disfavour with a very large portion of the Canadian public.



I expect mask mandates and vax mandates any day now.

[mossrose]

Trudeau called a snap election in the fall of 2021. The same thing happened. Mail in ballots were mostly the issue here. We went in person to an advance poll, as we usually do. I have no doubt that there were issues with the mail ins and some of the stupid voting machines. Trudeau won a minority government and then proceeded to announce to the world that he had "been given a mandate by the people of Canada" to continue with his stupidity.

People were still in fear mode over the pandemic. So they were happy to hide in their houses and trust the government funded postal system.

It's very possible that another election will be called for next month. Trudeau is sliding swiftly into disfavour with a very large portion of the Canadian public.



I expect mask mandates and vax mandates any day now.

Oh, and I should have mentioned the Beijing interference in the 2021 election. That's important, how could I forget!

[Thoughtful Monk]

Oh, and I should have mentioned the Beijing interference in the 2021 election. That's important, how could I forget!

Regretfully, that is not a problem unique to Canada. I'm sure it's going on here plus the Russians. Here's there's too much focus on our current election issues for these to get any attention.