An Alberta-based law firm is taking up the case of church leaders, including three Chatham-Kent men, accused of holding illegal gatherings during the pandemic.
The Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms is taking on the case of several churches across southwestern Ontario.
Chatham-Kent Police charged two men connected with the Old Colony Mennonite Church in Wheatley under the Reopening Ontario Act for holding church services over the Christmas holidays, contrary to provincial lockdown measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Another Chatham-Kent man was charged by the OPP after a service at the Word of Life Mennonite church in Leamington, and similar charges have been laid against church leaders in Woodstock, Windsor, and Aylmer.
The Justice Centre claims those charges violate Canada’s Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The group says many Mennonite communities are not active online and do not use much technology, and so in-person church services are fundamental to their community and way of life.
“Churches are being targeted by both police and vigilante members of the public, who look for church parking lots with vehicles and call in complaints to the police,” states Justice Centre staff lawyer, Lisa Bildy. ““With charges attracting fines of between $10,000 to $100,000, along with the threat of jail time, this is a clear escalation of enforcement, targeted at otherwise law-abiding citizens who believe strongly that attending church is essential to their well-being.”
The Justice Centre says it will attend at multiple first appearances over the next several months, on behalf of various churches across southwestern Ontario and their leaders.