Welcome to North Korea in Western Canada: Calgary judge refuses to overturn anti-free speech restraining order
[If you’ve never been to North Korea, just jump on plane to Edmonton or Calgary and experience life in Kim Jong Kenny’s Medico-Stalinist police state. There the Charter Rights of freedom of speech, freedom to practise one’s religion and freedom of assembly mean NOTHING! The corrupted courts won’t protect. you. A Calgary judge just turned down an application to stay a police state order. The order was obtained secretly, ex parte, with the lawyer for the named victims not informed. The order reads:
“IT IS HEREBY ORDERED THAT:
1. The named respondents [Pastor Artur Pawlowski and restaurant owner Chris Scott] and any other persons acting under their instructions or in concert with them or independently [that means, in fact ALL Albertans] to like effect and with the Notice of this Order, shall be restrained anywhere in Alberta, shall be restrained from
a. Organizing an in-person gathering, including requesting. inciting or inviting others to attend an “Illegal Public Gathering” [that’s more than five people!];
b. Promoting an Illegal Public Gathering by social media or otherwise;
“c. Attending an Illegal Public Gathering of any nature in a “Public Place” or in a “Private Place” [a birthday party of six people for granny in your OWN home] |
If you violate this police state order, you can be hauled off to jail for “contempt of court” as Pastor Pawlowski and Chris Scott were last weekend.]
Paul Fromm,DirectorCAFE
A judge in Calgary has denied an application to have Alberta Health Services’ anti-free speech restraining order overturned. But the fight is just getting started, because now Fight The Fines lawyers are going to examine Alberta’s chief medical officer, Deena Hinshaw, in court.
Thursday morning, Chad Williamson of Williamson Law argued to have the injunction that prohibits his clients, Glen Carritt, Chris Scott and unnamed Jane and John Does, from participating in, organizing, or promoting “illegal public gatherings” that do not comply with the current restrictions: limiting such activities to five (or fewer) participants, masking and social distancing.
In essence, the order outlaws political protests of half a dozen or more outdoors, but could also see grandma end up in the slammer for contempt of court if she is the sixth person at a birthday party in the park.
The original order was obtained in secret after lawyers for AHS refused to inform Williamson Law of the order being sought against their clients.
The order restricts the interactions, free speech and free association of all Albertans and it does that under threat of imprisonment.
Two arrests have already occurred under the new court order.
One was Chris Scott of the Whistle Stop Cafe in Mirror. He was arrested after he holding a protest of 1,500 people adjacent to his property seized just days before by the province because he refused to abide by the lockdown on restaurants. He spent three days in jail.
Pastor Artur Pawlowski spent two days in jail after he was arrested in Calgary for holding a non-compliant church service.
Associate Chief Justice Rooke heard arguments but declined to stay the order, however he did agree to a full hearing on the matter — including a full examination of the decision makers who deemed the excessively broad court order necessary, like CMOH Deena Hinshaw and the AHS health inspector behind the constant visits to the Whistle Stop Cafe since Chris Scott made the decision to re-open in January.
We are going to fight to overturn this order like freedom and democracy depend on it. Because they do.
It’s going to be a lot of hard work, and it’s going to be expensive, but it’s worth it, because it is the right of every Albertan to criticize the government.