Court decision on Church of God expected Friday, May 14

Dozens of vehicles were parked at Aylmer Church of God on Thursday morning, May 13, while at the same time in St. Thomas Superior Court of Justice, lawyers for the church and the province were arguing whether the church should be fined and its doors locked for last week being found in contempt for holding large indoor gatherings, violating provincial COVID-19 emergency orders.

In response to continued indoor gatherings, breaching a February court order against that, lawyer Connie Vernon for the Crown said the church as a corporation should be fined $50,000 and its doors locked until such gatherings were no longer restricted. She also asked that pastor Henry Hildebrandt and Peter Wall each be fined $10,000 for leading the services.

Church lawyer Lisa Bildy said the orders, as a response to public health measures, were unconstitutional and she would be arguing that issue in October. She seemed ready, though, to accept that Justice Bruce Thomas would fine her clients, as she asked that the amounts be kept in line with penalties levied against a Waterloo region church recently.

Justice Thomas, who is expected to give his decision Friday morning, said Henry Hildebrandt “uses his pulpit as a pulpit to exert on other to follow his examples. It’s not just the word of his God, it’s also about exhorting others to breach the regulations.”

(AE photo by Brett Hueston)