Doors won t be locked at Trinity Bible Chapel as members continue to congregate
A church in Woolwich Township that has opened to in-person services during the COVID-19 pandemic, at times allegedly exceeding capacity limits set by the province, will not have its doors locked for now, a court has ruled.
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Posted: Apr 19, 2021 11:55 AM ET | Last Updated: April 19
Trinity Bible Chapel in Woolwich Township will return to court on May 11. Last week, the province s attorney general sought to have the doors of the church locked.(Trinity Bible Chapel Website)
WATERLOO: The Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms was in court today on behalf of Trinity Bible Chapel (Trinity), after the Attorney General went before a Justice for an urgent ruling that the church and its leaders were in contempt of court, and requested an order directing Sheriffs to immediately lock the churchâs doors.
Trinity has already faced contempt proceedings, after it continued to hold religious services against an enforcement order obtained by the government on January 22. On February 23, Trinity and its leaders were ordered to pay fines and costs totalling $83,000.
That enforcement order is being challenged by the Justice Centre on constitutional grounds, and the matter is expected to be heard in July.
Court grants Alberta s request not to show evidence for health order at Pastor James Coates trial crossmap.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from crossmap.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
A Canadian court ruled earlier this week that the government of Alberta will not be required to show scientific evidence backing up its COVID-19 restrictions during the upcoming trial of Pastor James Coates, who was arrested and jailed for holding in-person worship gatherings.
Evidently either do the bureaucrats at Health Canada.
I reached out to them Monday to ask about a possible extension and was informed repeatedly over four days that they were overwhelmed with media requests and couldn’t get to mine.
Finally, I received a non-answer on Friday from a spokesman, Anna Madison.
She indicated that the federal order in council that forces travellers arriving at four Canadian airports from international destinations to quarantine in a government-mandated hotel for three days
is in
“It may be amended or renewed as required to protect Canadians,” Madison said.
There was no further indication when that might happen or for how long.