Crown drops charges against former MP, MPP and pastor for attending Church of God services in Aylmer, Ont.
A year-and-a-half after a former MP, MPP and pastor at the Church of God were charged for violating the Reopening Ontario Act amid COVID-19 restrictions, the Crown has officially dropped its charges.
According to the Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms (JCCF), the group representing the three men, charges against former MP Derek Sloan, former MPP Randy Hillier and Pastor Henry Hildebrandt were dropped by the Crown on Monday.
The three men were allegedly involved in peaceful rallies against COVID-19 measures in the spring of 2021 and were facing charges for violating public health orders under the Reopening Ontario Act.
Last year, the Province of Ontario implemented attendance limits on events throughout the province, including on religious services.
Despite the new regulations, the Church of God in Alymer still held indoor services that far exceeded the maximum number of attendees, and parishioners were seen without masks and in close proximity to each other.
In April 2021, former MP for Hastings-Lennox and Addington Sloan and MPP for Lanark-Frontenac-Kingston Hillier were charged under Ontario’s Reopening Act for attending service at the controversial church.
In a 2021 video posted by the church to YouTube, both Sloan and Hillier were called by Hildebrandt to give a short speech.
“There is no foundation on which we can build than Jesus Christ our rock, our Lord and our saviour. God bless you and God bless Canada,” said Sloan in the video.
“It brings tears to ones eyes to see so many people,” Hillier added.
In a Simcoe, Ont. courtroom, the charges were dropped under Section 10 of the Act.
In a statement, Bally Hundal, a lawyer retained by the JCCF said the prosecution no longer felt it was in the public interest to pursue the charges.
On Monday, CTV News London spoke with the men at the centre of the controversy, including Sloan.
“We were protesting the government’s specific policies in question at the time,” he said. “We weren’t just partying. So I think it’s the right thing to do, I think people want to move on and move forward. We exercised our right to free speech and association, and the prosecution made the right decision.”
The charges carried potential penalties of fines up to $100,000, and minimums of $10,000.
— With files from CTV News London’s Jaden Lee-Lincoln and Jordyn Read
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
How quietly promised law changes in the 2024 federal budget could impact your day-to-day life
The 2024 federal budget released last week includes numerous big spending promises that have garnered headlines. But, tucked into the 416-page document are also series of smaller items, such as promising to amend the law regarding infant formula and to force banks to label government rebates, that you may have missed.
Which foods have the most plastics? You may be surprised
'How much plastic will you have for dinner, sir? And you, ma'am?' While that may seem like a line from a satirical skit on Saturday Night Live, research is showing it's much too close to reality.
opinion I've been a criminal attorney for decades. Here's what I think about the case against Trump
Joey Jackson, a criminal defence attorney and a legal analyst for CNN, outlines what he thinks about the criminal case against Donald Trump in the 'hush money trial.'
$3.8M home in B.C.'s Okanagan has steel shell for extra wildfire protection
A home in B.C.'s Okanagan that features a weathering steel shell designed to provide some protection against wildfires has been listed for sale at $3.8 million.
Diver pinned under water by an alligator figured he had choice. Lose his arm or lose his life
An alligator attacked a diver on April 15 as he surfaced from his dive, nearly out of air. His tank emptied with the gator's jaws crushing the arm he put up in defence.
Psychologist becomes first person in Peru to die by euthanasia after fighting in court for years
A Peruvian psychologist who suffered from an incurable disease that weakened her muscles and had her confined to her bed for several years, died by euthanasia, her lawyer said Monday, becoming the first person in the country to obtain the right to die with medical assistance.
Mystery surrounds giant custom Canucks jerseys worn by Lions Gate Bridge statues
The giant stone statues guarding the Lions Gate Bridge have been dressed in custom Vancouver Canucks jerseys as the NHL playoffs get underway.
Celebrity designer sentenced to 18 months in prison for smuggling crocodile handbags
A leading fashion designer whose accessories were used by celebrities from Britney Spears to the cast of the 'Sex and the City' TV series was sentenced Monday to 18 months in prison after pleading guilty in Miami federal court on charges of smuggling crocodile handbags from her native Colombia.
Wildfire leads to evacuation order issued for northeast Alberta community
An evacuation order was issued on Monday afternoon for homes in the area of Cold Lake First Nation.