![]() Readers will recall that the act, passed by the legislature last June, allows the courts to levy fines on individuals of $25,000 a day and put them in jail for up to six months, and includes penalties on corporations of up to $200,000 for blocking, damaging or entering “critical infrastructure,” which can include roads, sidewalks or pretty well anywhere else the government decides. One naturally wonders if the United Conservative Party government of Jason Kenney - which the pastor’s supporters are now vigorously attacking - will use the powers vested in it under the Critical Infrastructure Defence Act to hammer them for occupying the roadside in front of Canada’s largest jail? “Viruses are inevitable in a fallen world,” he preached at a recent service, “and it isn’t the government’s responsibility to protect us from a virus.” Bail ought to be no problem as he obviously doesn’t intend to flee and presumably has plenty of parishioners willing to put up some cash in time for tomorrow’s Sunday service.Īfter all, at Pastor Coates’s urging, lots of his congregants were prepared during successive Sunday services to defy public health restrictions on large public gatherings temporarily imposed to help curb the spread of COVID-19. All he has to do is agree to his bail conditions. Pastor Coates can walk out of jail tomorrow if he wishes, of course. They rallied outside that monumental piece of critical Alberta infrastructure demanding the GraceLife Church’s pastor be freed. "It is about doing what is intelligent to them and what maintains their freedoms, but most importantly what is ultimately honouring to their god that they believe in.Small groups of supporters of James Coates, the temporarily jailed pastor of an Edmonton-area church who has been defiantly refusing to obey Alberta’s COVID-19 restrictions, protested in front of the Edmonton Remand Centre Thursday and yesterday. Coates actions were "not about just wanton rebeling," he said, according to CBC News. ![]() James Kitchen, Coates' attorney, claims that his client had never agreed to the February 7 undertaking to adhere to public health measures. Coates was also found to have flouted his undertaking release conditions. Upon returning to the church to check for compliance, the RCMP on February 14 determined that GraceLife Church was still not following lockdown measures. The RCMP and Public Health Inspector attended a service on February 7 and found that the premises was "over double the current restricted capacity level," according to a press release.Īuthorities did not disrupt the church proceedings, but afterward, they arrested Coates and released the pastor with a court appearance date. 94 Percent of Nonreligious Black Americans Still Believe in God: SurveyĬoates has been allegedly violating COVID-19 lockdown measures since December, when the RCMP first issued the pastor with a violation ticket.Televangelist: Trump Lost Because God 'Got Weary' of Him Promoting Himself.Priest at San Francisco Church That Defied Lockdown Orders Dies of COVID-19.Coates is expected to remain in custody until the court hearing. ![]() An RCMP spokesperson confirmed to Newsweek that Coates was still in custody on Monday evening.Īs Coates continued to refuse the conditions of his bail, "a Judge's Order was issued compelling him to attend court on Wednesday, Feb. Following a bail hearing, Coates was to be released on conditions, but he refused to agree to those conditions and has since remained in custody. Two days later, on February, 16, Coates turned himself in to authorities and was charged with two counts of contravening the Public Health Act and one criminal charge. There, they determined that the church was defying COVID-19 restrictions, which requires places of worship to be operated at 15 percent capacity and mask-use for congregants. ![]() On Sunday February 14, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and Alberta Health Services visited Pastor James Coates' GraceLife Church in Parkland County, located west of Edmonton. A Canadian pastor who was arrested for violating pandemic lockdown measures will appear in court on Wednesday after spending a week in jail. ![]()
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