Alberta government seeks to delay May 3 trial of Pastor Coates and barricades Church

EDMONTON: The Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms today expressed outrage at the Alberta Government’s decision to enter private church property early this morning and put up a double barrier wall around Grace Life Church in Stony Plain, Alberta, to prevent Albertans from exercising their Charter freedoms of peaceful assembly, association, and worship. Pastor James Coates and Grace Life Church are charged with violating the Public Health Act for holding Church as normal after more than a year of government restrictions. Pastor Coates spent one month and six days in jail before his release on March 22 because he would not agree to stop pastoring his church according to the congregation’s beliefs. The trial has been set for May 3, 2021, in Provincial Court in Stony Plain. The Government has requested the Court delay the trial to provide more time to produce evidence to justify government lockdown measures.