An Alberta pastor who has clashed for months with provincial health authorities over COVID-19 restrictions will remain in jail until he goes to trial in May because he refuses to follow a bail condition that requires he comply with public health orders.
The pastor, James Coates of the GraceLife Church in Parkland County west of Edmonton, has been in jail for over two weeks and was appealing his bail conditions.
After hearing arguments yesterday from Coates’s lawyers, Court of Queen’s Bench Justice Peter Michalyshyn dismissed the bail review this morning.
Coates is charged with violating Alberta’s Public Health Act and with breaking a promise to abide by conditions of his bail release, which is a Criminal Code offence.
Supporters pray outside an Edmonton court in February after James Coates was arrested for holding Sunday services in violation of COVID-19 rules. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jason Franson)
His lawyer, James Kitchen, told the court Thursday that Coates can’t follow a bail condition that forbids him from holding services because that would violate his conscience by disobeying God.
“This is a matter of deep-seeded personal conscience and religious beliefs for Pastor Coates,” Kitchen said.
“He is unable to disobey the God he believes in. He is compelled to obey … as [are] his congregants.”
The prosecution argued that Coates’s release would be a danger to the public.
Outside the courthouse, dozens of Coates’s supporters gathered–many of them not wearing face masks–and more than 350 attended the hearing via the court’s web conferencing software.
Some failed to mute their microphones, leading to frequent disruptions.
Supporters rallied outside court yesterday as lawyers for James Coates appealed his bail conditions. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jason Franson)
Coates turned himself in to police on Feb. 16 and was charged with two counts in contravention of the Public Health Act and charged for failing to comply with a condition of his undertaking.
He refused release, saying he could not abide by the conditions.
Prior to his detention, his Sunday services were drawing up to 300 members, and in early February Coates was charged for a second time for breaking the rules.
He was fined in December and Alberta Health Services ordered the church to close in January, but Coates ignored the orders.
The church has continued to hold services, even though Coates is in custody.
With files from The Canadian Press, CBC News
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