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Alberta

Calgary pastor Derek Reimer acquitted of charges related to drag queen story hour protest

Published

8 months ago

6 minute read

Pastor Derek Reimer speaks with a reporter from the back seat of a police cruiser

From LifeSiteNews

By Anthony Murdoch

Lawyer Andrew MacKenzie noted that while “nothing can give” Reimer “back” the time he spent in jail, there is “some vindication from the thorough and thoughtful decision published by the Alberta Courts.”

A judge has acquitted a Canadian Protestant pastor of criminal charges he incurred for protesting a “drag queen story time” event for children at a public library.

Judge Allan Fradsham ruled Tuesday that Derek Reimer, pastor of Mission 7 Ministries, is not guilty of a criminal offense for protesting a pro-LGBT “drag” event marketed to kids called “Reading with Royalty” that took place at the Seton Public Library in Calgary in February 2023.

“I was obedient to God in protecting children and exposing darkness,” Remier told LifeSiteNews about what motivated him to protest the scandalous event. “I will continue to have a voice and speak the truth in Jesus’ name.” 

In his ruling, a copy of which was given to LifeSiteNews, Fradsham still characterized Reimer’s protest against the pro-LGBT display directed to kids as “disrespectful” and “inconsiderate,” but concluded that “not all actions” of this nature “are criminal.”

For protesting at the February 2023 event, Reimer was charged with causing a disturbance and mischief. The incident drew international attention after he was forcibly removed from the library for protesting the event and pointing out that homosexual acts are sinful.

In a Facebook post on Tuesday, Reimer doubled down on his innocence of any criminal wrongdoing, sharing the Bible passage 2 Timothy 3:11: “Persecutions, afflictions, which happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra—what persecutions I endured. And out of them all the Lord delivered me.” 

An ‘important exoneration’  

Reimer’s lawyer Andrew MacKenzie spoke with LifeSiteNews and noted that he is pleased with the ruling, and that his client’s “acquittal does expose what was leveled against him” in terms of his protests.  

In a statement to the media, MacKenzie said that Tuesday’s acquittal “is an important exoneration.” 

“Pastor Reimer has been zealously prosecuted over the past two years for peacefully protesting drag events for children. Today, the trial judge found that the witnesses against him were contradictory and biased, giving testimony ‘bespeak[ing] an animus towards Mr. Reimer,’” he noted. 

MacKenzie noted that while “nothing can give” Reimer “back” the time he spent in jail, there is “some vindication from the thorough and thoughtful decision published by the Alberta Courts.”

“There have been concerns that a guilty verdict could set a precedent effectively criminalizing certain forms of protest. This decision affirms the existing common-sense precedent that Pastor Reimer should be allowed to legally protest.” 

MacKenzie said that Reimer is “thankful for the opportunity to have his day in court,” along with the acquittal, and that this “legal battle inspired such a groundswell of support from concerned Canadians. His fight is not over but today’s result was an unmitigated vindication.” 

While Reimer’s charges from the February 2023 incident have been dropped, he is still facing sentencing for other acts of protests against “drag queen story hours,” for which he has been found guilty of “criminal harassment.” He was also found guilty of breaching his bail conditions, which ban him from protesting at any LGBT-themed event. Sentencing will occur on November 28. 

Reimer is also waiting for a decision in relation to charges of trespassing and violating bail conditions for protesting at Calgary’s Signal Hill Library on March 15, 2023. A decision for these charges will be coming on October 7.  

He faces the possibility of being fined $10,000 for each charge or 6 months in jail.  

As reported by LifeSiteNews earlier this year, trespassing charges against Reimer for praying in a municipal building were dismissed. 

He has been arrested many times for protesting “drag queen story time” and other pro-LGBT events in his city. 

Reimer has also been the target of harassment for protesting these events. Last April, his van was vandalized with an anti-Christian message as well as a satanic symbol while he was in jail following yet another arrest related to his pro-family activism. 

Last year, Calgary passed a new “Safe and Inclusive Access Bylaw” that disallows “specified protests” both inside and outside all city-owned and affiliated public buildings.

The bylaw means that anyone protesting pro-LGBT events at public buildings will be barred from getting within 100 meters of any such location. 

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Alberta

Alberta Cabinet shuffle reflects new ministries. Adriana LaGrange in charge of “health care refocusing”

Published on May 16, 2025

By

Premier Danielle Smith has made changes to cabinet to address key priorities of Albertans.

Following the conclusion of the spring sitting of the legislature, and the resignation of the Honourable Ric McIver from his cabinet position to serve as Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta, Premier Smith has made changes to her cabinet and caucus leadership.

The new cabinet comprises both seasoned and newly appointed ministers, reflecting Alberta’s diverse population. Together, they are committed to serving all Albertans and striving to unlock the province’s full potential. Those members taking on new roles include:

  • Minister of Advanced Education, Myles McDougall
  • Minister of Hospital and Surgical Health Services, Matt Jones
  • Minister of Indigenous Relations, Rajan Sawhney
  • Minister of Jobs, Economy, Trade, and Immigration, Joseph Schow
  • Minister of Mental Health and Addiction, Rick Wilson
  • Minister of Municipal Affairs, Dan Williams
  • Minister of Primary and Preventative Health Services, Adriana LaGrange
  • Minister of Tourism and Sport, Andrew Boitchenko
  • Associate Minister of Multiculturalism, Mohammed Yaseen
  • Associate Minister of Water, Grant Hunter

Additionally, Grant Hunter will be serving as the Chief Government Whip.

The Honourable Demetrios Nicolaides will be adding childcare to his portfolio and become the Minister of Education and Childcare. The Honourable Jason Nixon will also see his title changed to the Minister of Assisted Living and Social Services to reflect his oversight of Assisted Living Alberta.

“I’m eager to collaborate with this dedicated team to fulfill the commitments we made to Albertans during the last election. Our government has already addressed many key priorities of Albertans, but we know there is more work to do, and I’m excited to continue working alongside each of my cabinet colleagues as we move forward an ambitious agenda for Albertans.”

Danielle Smith, Premier

This new cabinet also serves as the critical next step in the journey to refocus Alberta’s health care system. Each of the four health care agencies – Primary Care Alberta, Acute Care Alberta, Assisted Living Alberta, and Recovery Alberta – are now established, and will now each have a corresponding minister responsible. Minister LaGrange will continue to oversee the health care re-focusing efforts.

“I’m pleased to continue the important work of re-focusing our health care system with the support of my colleagues. Moving forward, we will work together to ensure that patients in our health care system have an integrated seamless experience and get the care they need when and where they need it.”

Adriana LaGrange, Minister of Primary and Preventative Health Services

Cabinet members will be tasked with working collaboratively to complete the important work that Albertans voted for, including continuing to grow the economy, keep life affordable, reform the health care system, fight crime, and defend Alberta from punitive federal government policies.

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Alberta

Alberta group releases referendum question on leaving Canada, becoming ‘sovereign country’

Published on May 15, 2025

By

From LifeSiteNews

By Anthony Murdoch

‘Do you agree that the Province of Alberta shall become a Sovereign Country and cease to be a province of Canada?’ reads the proposed question from Alberta Prosperity Project, which says it has over 240,000 pledges to vote ‘yes’ on the referendum.

A group behind a citizen-led movement for Alberta’s independence from Canada in light of increasing frustration with the Liberal federal government made public the question it will put to a future referendum that could come in 2026.

The Alberta Prosperity Project (APP), which bills itself as a sovereignty advocacy group, released Monday the question it wants on a referendum.

“Do you agree that the Province of Alberta shall become a Sovereign Country and cease to be a province of Canada?” the question reads.

Thus far, the group says it has over 240,000 pledges from people who say they will vote “yes” to the referendum question. The group wants to have at least 1 million signatures, which is more than the 600,000 needed before a citizen-led petition would be allowed to be brought before Alberta’s legislature.

The APP says its mission is to “empower the Alberta government to restructure Alberta’s relationship with Canada by educating and mobilizing public support for Alberta Sovereignty.”

As reported by LifeSiteNews, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said her conservative government will allow but not support a citizen-led referendum on independence.

Smith’s comments came after she said recently that she would consider taking serious steps for Alberta to have greater autonomy from Canada after the Liberals were re-elected to a fourth consecutive term.

Asked about the APP’s statement, Smith said, “I’ve made my position clear.”

“I support a sovereign Alberta within a united Canada, and it’s my job to see if we can get a new deal with Ottawa, so that I can convince more Albertans to feel the same,” she said to the press.

As it stands, Albertans can call a referendum under the Referendum Act and the Citizen Initiative Act, but in order to trigger such a vote, citizens would first have to collect signatures from 20 percent of eligible voters (about 600,000 citizens) within just 90 days and do so on an official government-approved petition.

Some pre-election polls have shown independence sentiment on the rise among Albertans, with over 30 percent favoring a move toward sovereignty.

The calls for independence have grown since Liberal leader Mark Carney defeated Conservative rival Pierre Poilievre, who also lost his seat in the 2025 federal election. In Alberta, almost all of the seats except two went to conservatives.

Carney, like former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau before him, said he is opposed to new pipeline projects that would allow Alberta oil and gas to be unleashed. Also, his green agenda, like Trudeau’s, is at odds with Alberta’s main economic driver, its oil and gas industry.

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