Canadian Church Faces up to $10,000,000 Fine for Violating Shutdown Restrictions
Police have laid a fresh round of charges to members of Trinity Bible Chapel in Waterloo, Ontario, in relation to their January 3rd in-person service.
The new round of tyrannical impositions come after Police charged all 6 elders last week under Section 10.1 of the Reopening Ontario Act (ROA) for holding church services on Sunday, December 27, where if convicted the minimum fine is $10,000 and the maximum $100,000 fine. In Ontario, the province prohibits gatherings of more than 10 people, and churches are not exempt in any way.
Now, law enforcement officers have laid nine more new charges. The first six are believed to be against the entire elder board again, two against congregants for attending a church service of more than other 10 people, and in a surprising move, the last against the church itself.
If convicted, these men will be fined anywhere from $10,000 to $100,000, and the church itself faces a fine of up to $10 million for hosting large gatherings, given that it is considered a corporation.
In a press release sent out about last week’s incident, the church expressed their dismay and righteous anger at this news:
Our government is destroying our society to prevent the spread of a virus with a fraction of a fractional death rate. This is evil. Nowhere does the Charter of Rights and Freedoms guarantee freedom from risk or virus, but it does protect the freedom of conscience, religion, belief, and assembly. These are unlawful laws, a violation of God-given rights, a contravention of Section 176 of the Criminal Code, and an infringement of the Charter.
In another press release, The Justice Centre announced that it will be defending numerous Ontario pastors and church elders charged for holding church services in contravention of the Reopening Ontario Act including Trinity Chapel. “The Justice Centre will contest the charges on the basis that the Act violates the Charter rights of Ontario citizens to peacefully assemble for worship, among other grounds for challenge.”
Despite the very real threat of charging every congregant who attends service a minimum of $10,000, Pastor Jacob Jacob Reaume says the doors will be open this coming Sunday.
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