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Alberta

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

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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. 

Alberta

Alberta calling for federal election! Premier Smith demands feds scrap dangerous oil and gas production caps

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Premier Danielle Smith, Minister of Environment and Protected Areas Rebecca Schulz and Minister of Energy and Minerals Brian Jean issued the following statement on the proposed federal oil and gas production cap:

“This production cap will hurt families, hurt businesses and hurt Canada’s economy. We will defend our province, our country and our Constitutional rights.

“Make no mistake, this cap violates Canada’s constitution. Section 92A clearly gives provinces exclusive jurisdiction over non-renewable natural resource development yet this cap will require a one million barrel a day production cut by 2030.

“The evidence is overwhelming. Three reports from reputable firms have shown that these regulations will sucker-punch Canada’s economy, a million barrels cut every day according to S&P Global, $28 billion a year in lost GDP according to Deloitte, and up to 150,000 lost jobs according to the Conference Board of Canada.

“The losses to GDP mean billions a year will disappear from the economy. Billions that won’t be going towards new schools, hospitals and roads, all for a reckless ideological scheme that will not reduce global emissions.

“Ultimately, this cap will lead Alberta and our country into economic and societal decline. The average Canadian family would be left with up to $419 less for groceries, mortgage payments and utilities every month. Canadian parents and workers will suffer while Justin Trudeau outsources the duty to provide safe, affordable, reliable and responsibly produced oil and gas to dictators and less clean producers around the world. We could be the solution. Instead, Ottawa would rather sacrifice our ability to lead.

“Tweaks won’t work. This cap must be scrapped. Alberta’s government is actively exploring the use of every legal option, including a constitutional challenge and the use of the Alberta Sovereignty within a United Canada Act. We will not stand idly by while the federal government sacrifices our prosperity, our constitution and our quality of life for its extreme agenda.”

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Alberta

Business owners receive court approval to proceed with COVID lawsuit against Alberta gov’t

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From LifeSiteNews

By Anthony Murdoch

A judge ruled that businesses impacted by COVID lockdowns are allowed to claim compensation for harm and losses incurred due to the provincial chief medical officer’s illegal orders.

A class-action lawsuit on behalf of dozens of Canadian business owners in Alberta who faced massive losses or permanent closures due to COVID mandates has been given the go-ahead to proceed by a judge.

Lawyers representing businesses from Alberta-based Rath & Company announced in a press release on October 30 that it was “successful in its application for certification on behalf of Alberta business owners impacted by Covid-19 restrictions and closures imposed through Chief Medical Officer of Health (“CMOH”) Orders.”

“Justice Feasby of the Court of King’s Bench of Alberta released his decision today certifying the class action in Ingram v Alberta, 2024 ABKB 631,” Rath & Company said.

Lead counsel Jeffrey Rath said the Alberta government has been placed on notice for its actions against businesses during the COVID lockdown era.

The Rath lawsuit proposal names Rebecca Ingram, a gym owner, and Chris Scott, a restaurant owner, as “representative plaintiffs who suffered significant financial harm due to (former Alberta Chief Medical Officer) Dr. (Deena) Hinshaw’s Public Health Orders.”

According to Rath, the class action seeks to certify that “affected Alberta business owners who suffered losses due to the CMOH orders, which were found to be ultra vires — outside legal authority and therefore unlawful — under Alberta’s Public Health Act (“PHA”).

“As a result, the Court Certified multiple claims, including negligence, bad faith and misfeasance in public office. The Court allowed affected businesses to claim compensation for harm and losses incurred due to the illegal CMOH Orders including punitive damages,” Rath said.

Any business operator in Alberta from 2020 to 2022 who was negatively impacted by COVID orders is now eligible to join the lawsuit. Any payout from the lawsuit would come from the taxpayers.

The government’s legal team claimed that the COVID orders were put in place on a good faith initiative and that it was Alberta Health Services, not the government, that oversaw enforcement of the rules.

As a result of the court ruling, Alberta Crown Prosecutions Service (ACPS) said Albertans facing COVID-related charges will not be convicted but instead have their charges stayed.

Thus far, Dr. Michal Princ, pizzeria owner Jesse JohnsonScott, and Alberta pastors James Coates,  Tim Stephens, and Artur Pawlowski, who were jailed for keeping churches open under then-Premier Jason Kenney, have had COVID charges against them dropped due to the court ruling.

Under Kenney, thousands of businesses, notably restaurants and small shops, were negatively impacted by severe COVID restrictions, mostly in 2020-21, that forced them to close for a time. Many never reopened. At the same time, as in the rest of Canada, big box stores were allowed to operate unimpeded.

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