Alberta
Canadian gov’t lawyers request jail for Calgary pastor who protested ‘drag queen story hour’ at library
Canadian pastor Derek Reimer is thrown out of a drag queen story time event at a public library in Calgary.
From LifeSiteNews
The Crown is seeking a long probation on top of a jail sentence for Derek Reimer, who believes that despite the ‘egregious sentence proposal,’ ‘there’s a good chance I will go home with my family after the sentencing verdict.’
Government lawyers are seeking a potential one-year jail sentence and probation for a Calgary pastor who was hit with criminal harassment and breaching bail condition charges for protesting “drag queen story hours” targeting children at a public library last year.
Pastor Derek Reimer of Mission 7 Ministries was in Alberta Court of King’s Bench court Thursday for sentencing regarding a guilty verdict issued in October.
Reimer told LifeSiteNews that despite the “Crown’s egregious sentence proposal,” he feels “encouraged that there’s a good chance I will go home with my family after the sentencing verdict.”
“Even if I don’t, I know the Lord will work it out for good and I will rejoice that I’m counted worthy to suffer shame for Jesus’ name,” he added.
In October, Reimer was hit with a criminal conviction and a $500 fine after a judge found him guilty of breaching his bail conditions because he spoke out against a “drag queen story time” event for children at another public library.
In court Thursday, the main Crown prosecutor claimed that Reimer had targeted a library manager with a “personal attack” and “hateful vitriol” and showed a “lack of remorse” after he confronted her to object to the library hosting kids “drag queen story time.”
In court, the Crown used two videos posted by Reimer after the incident to use against him.
The Crown is seeking a long probation on top of a jail sentence to, in its words, keep Reimer “on the straight and narrow” and to “ensure the public remains safe from criminal harassment.”
Reimer’s lawyer, Andrew MacKenzie, argued that the library manager had used the words “upset,” which he claimed do not constitute a type of reaction to one getting harassed.
Judge Heather Lamoureux is now looking at all the facts and has noted that she will consider that Reimer is his family’s sole bread winner and whose wife has a baby on the way before handing him his sentence.
Lamoureux hinted that a conditional sentence “could be more reasonable” than one that carries actual jail time. Sentencing will occur on December 3. MacKenzie has also asked the court for a conditional sentence in lieu of time already spent in jail.
The judge also noted that Reimer’s right to “protest LGBTQ events” is not what the case is about, and he can protest so long as he does not cross the “boundary of harassment” that the Crown has argued occurred.
Pastor: ‘I’m here to serve God’ and ‘expose what the Bible calls darkness and sin’
In court, Reimer noted that he is not the “man the court and the media made me out to be,” adding that is not how he lives his “life now.”
“I’m a man that’s been transformed by God’s grace, nine years ago,” he said, adding, “my past life has a totally different mindset behind it.”
He added that he is “concerned” with what is “happening to Canada” and that he feels he has been called by “God Almighty to preach His word, feed the homeless and protect children.”
“To expose what the Bible calls darkness and sin,” he said, adding, “I’m not here to hurt anybody. I’m here to serve God. What they’re doing is wrong, according to the Bible,” he said.
In late October, Reimer was visited by Calgary Police at his home after he was served a notice of appeal for a judge’s recent acquittal of his charges for protesting transgender story times at public libraries, LifeSiteNews learned.
The notice of appeal concerns a different incident, as reported by LifeSiteNews in September, in which Judge Allan Fradsham ruled that Reimer 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.
Reimer has been arrested many times for protesting “drag queen story time” and other pro-LGBT events.
He 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 after, yet another arrest related to his pro-family activism.
Last year, Calgary passed a new so-called “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.
From Danielle Smith on X
Over the last 24 hours I had the opportunity to meet President @realdonaldtrump at Mar-a-Lago last night and at his golf club this morning. We had a friendly and constructive conversation during which I emphasized the mutual importance of the U.S. – Canadian energy relationship, and specifically, how hundreds of thousands of American jobs are supported by energy exports from Alberta.
I was also able to have similar discussions with several key allies of the incoming administration and was encouraged to hear their support for a strong energy and security relationship with Canada.
On behalf of Albertans, I will continue to engage in constructive dialogue and diplomacy with the incoming administration and elected federal and state officials from both parties, and will do all I can to further Alberta’s and Canada’s interests.
The United States and Canada are both proud and independent nations with one of the most important security alliances on earth and the largest economic partnership in history. We need to preserve our independence while we grow this critical partnership for the benefit of Canadians and Americans for generations to come.
Refocusing acute care leadership for the future
Alberta’s government is bringing in the expertise and experience needed to continue refocusing the health care system for the benefit of all Albertans.
Alberta’s government is committed to refocusing the health care system so that Albertans can access the health care services they need when and where they need them. The work to transform the system is making significant progress, particularly with the recent launch of Primary Care Alberta in November 2024, and the continued advancement in establishing Alberta’s new acute care provincial health agency.
Acute care, which includes hospitals, emergency services and surgery care, is a significant part of the health care system, providing critical care to Albertans when they need it most. Acute Care Alberta, the new acute care provincial health agency, will work to speed up access to high-quality care, reduce wait times and make sure the patient’s journey through the system is efficient and effective across the province.
As progress is made to establish Acute Care Alberta, Alberta’s government is appointing Dr. Chris Eagle as chair and interim president and CEO. This appointment will take effect Feb. 1 to coincide with the establishment of Acute Care Alberta as a legal entity. Dr. Eagle’s focus will be on preparing the organization for its first day of operations later this spring. His appointment to the position is pending finalization of his contract.
Dr. Eagle has significant experience supporting and leading health care organizations and projects across Alberta, including his time as president and CEO of Alberta Health Services (AHS) from 2010 to 2013. His extensive experience in the health field will allow him to guide the work to operationalize Acute Care Alberta.
To help support Dr. Eagle’s work and to lead AHS through its transition from a regional health authority to a hospital-based service provider, Andre Tremblay, deputy minister of Alberta Health, has been appointed interim president and CEO of AHS.
“Acute care is the most complex part of the health care system, and it’s critical that we have the right leadership in place to see this work through and make positive changes to the health care system for Albertans now and into the future. I want to extend my sincerest gratitude to Athana Mentzelopoulos for the work she has done during her time leading Alberta Health Services.”
Tremblay brings a wealth of public service and health care delivery experience to the position. With more than 20 years of public sector leadership, he has served in several senior leadership positions. Prior to joining Health in June 2023, Tremblay has been deputy minister at Education, Agriculture and Forestry, and Transportation. This is also his second leadership role at Alberta Health, having previously served as an associate deputy minister. He was also previously appointed as the deputy clerk of executive council and deputy secretary to cabinet. In his role as interim president and CEO, Tremblay will not receive a salary. His salary as deputy minister will remain the same.
Tremblay will continue as deputy minister through this critical period of transition and change for Alberta’s health care system. He will also oversee the recruitment of a permanent president and CEO for Acute Care Alberta. He is best positioned to continue leading efforts to refocus the health care system while supporting the transition of Alberta Health Services to an acute care service provider.
While in the interim role, Tremblay will work with AHS leadership to oversee operations, support staff transitions to Primary Care Alberta and establish Acute Care Alberta as a legal entity ahead of its operationalization this spring. Throughout this work, Albertans will continue to access acute care services as they always have and there will be no impact to front-line health care workers.
The AHS board of directors will begin the search for a permanent president and CEO immediately, and more details will be provided once the hiring process is complete.
“I am excited to take on this role and support the efforts to refocus Alberta’s health care system and to create an improved acute care system that will make sure Albertans have access to the best health care services they need, no matter where they live in the province.”
“We are at a critical time in the work that is underway to refocus the health care system. I am confident we can continue to make great strides to achieve the goal of making health care better for everyone in Alberta. I want to thank Athana Mentzelopoulos for her hard work, commitment and leadership during her time in the role.”
“We have made great progress refocusing the health care system and I am eager to take on this new role and support the work being done to improve health care across the province. I look forward to leading AHS as it transitions to a service delivery provider and engaging with front-line workers and staff across the system in the coming months.”
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