I have a responsibility to be obedient to my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and it’s simply that obedience that has me here in this place. I have a responsibility before God to Shepard the people entrusted to me. I’m not trying to make a point, I’m not a political revolutionary. “Please make no mistake, this is not a statement that I’m making to society. “I’m simply here in obedience to Jesus Christ and it’s my obedience to Christ that has put me at odds with the law at present,” said Coates. He spoke of his responsibility to his church and his Lord and Saviour. “So if he wants to make a statement, he’s made a statement but I’m dealing with the statement that society wants to make about people who refuse to follow public health orders during a pandemic.”Ĭoates was given an opportunity to speak before the court on Monday and said his integrity and word have remained consistent. Coates as an accused, as a convicted person now, as well as a proper deterrence for others that might feel that I can violate the directions of the chief medical officer of health and get a $100 fine, that’s why there’s concern,” explained Champion. Countries already on the list include Afghanistan, Egypt, Cuba and Turkey.“I question whether a $100 fine is a proper denunciation of the conduct of Mr. Any two of those is enough to be placed on the special watch list. It says the oppression must be systematic, ongoing and egregious. commission lists three requirements to declare that a country oppresses religious freedom. Litigation director Jay Cameron of the Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms, which is representing Stephens, has accused Alberta Health Services in a statement of being “engaged in an intentional act of public deception and abuse of authority in arresting pastor Stephens and others.” READ MORE: Calgary pastor Tim Stephens arrested again after allegedly violating COVID-19 rules It follows a recent court decision Ingram v. Charges against GraceLife Church and its pastor James Coates were dropped and a COVID-related ticket was dismissed. Calgary police and Alberta Health Services allege that Stephens of Fairview Baptist Church chose to keep holding services without respecting orders on physical distancing and capacity limits, even after his church had been twice ordered closed. An Alberta pastor who spent a month in an Edmonton jail for refusing to agree to a bail condition requiring him to comply with COVID-19 health orders was acquitted Wednesday. Stephens remains in remand after being arrested last week following repeated public complaints over an outdoor service that officials say broke public health orders. Canada accused of weak foreign bribery investigations, prosecution efforts.Most wanted: Community heals as suspects in youth worker’s death remain at large.

Angry dad shoots youth football coach over his son’s playing time: police.Florida man guilty of murdering wife who refused to go on home reno show: prosecutors.He was released March 22 after pleading guilty and was fined $1,500. Hawley refers in his letter to the arrests of Alberta pastors James Coates and Tim Stephens.Ĭoates spent a month in the Edmonton Remand Centre after he violated a bail condition not to hold church services that officials said were ignoring COVID-19 measures on capacity limits, physical distancing and masking. “Frankly, I would expect this sort of religious crackdown in Communist China, not in a prominent western nation like Canada.” “I am troubled that our Canadian neighbours are effectively being forced to gather in secret, undisclosed locations to exercise their basic freedom to worship,” Hawley wrote. In a letter released Thursday, Missouri Republican Josh Hawley asked his country’s Commission on International Religious Freedom to consider putting Canada on its special watch list. senator has asked that Canada be investigated for violating religious freedom over the arrests of Alberta pastors accused of flouting COVID-19 restrictions.

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