Calgary pastor, brother avoid jail time, fined $33K for violating health orders
An outspoken Calgary pastor and his brother, who is seeking to become a Calgary councillor, have been fined, placed under probation and ordered to include disclaimers when expressing their views regarding public health orders.
Sarah Miller, the lawyer representing pastor Artur Pawlowski, confirms to CTV News that her client was fined $23,000 and placed on 18 months' probation after being convicted of contempt for violating Alberta's COVID-19-related rules.
Miller says Dawid Pawlowski, who is running for Ward 11 councillor, was fined $10,000 and placed on 12 months' probation.
As part of the condition of their probation, the brothers are required to obey public health orders, stay within Alberta unless receiving approval to leave the province, express to their followers that their views are contrary to the current health orders and acknowledge that their views are not aligned with the views of health experts.
Their sentences also require that they pay the legal costs Alberta Health Services accrued, which are estimated to exceed $20,000.
The Pawlowskis have been vocal opponents of the province's public health orders throughout the pandemic and hosted illegal gatherings and services at a church in southeast Calgary where mask requirements and physical distancing rules were violated.
While Justice Adam Germain delivered his sentencing decision, a loud demonstration from supporters could be heard outside.
The judge said the men "contributed to this ominous health situation by their defiance of health rules and their public posturing, which has encouraged others to doubt the legitimacy of the pandemic and disobey the health orders assigned to protect them."
"(They) are on the wrong side of science. They're also on the wrong side of common sense."
Alberta Health Services had asked for jail time for the Pawlowskis but Germain ruled that a prison sentence would be "a slap on the wrist that will make him a martyr."
"After pastor Artur Pawlowski was found guilty of contempt, he went on a speaking tour of the United States, where he parlayed his title as a pastor and the fact he had been arrested for holding a church service into a rally cry that attracted like-minded individuals."
The Pawlowski have been ordered to begin making payments on Nov. 1.
Christopher Scott, owner of the Whistle Stop Cafe in the hamlet of Mirror, Alta., northeast of Red Deer, was also looking at a recommended 21 days in jail. He must instead pay $20,000 in fines and costs of nearly $11,000 and serve 18 months' probation.
With files from The Canadian Press
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'Anything to win': Trudeau says as Poilievre defends meeting protesters
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is accusing Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre of welcoming 'the support of conspiracy theorists and extremists,' after the Conservative leader was photographed meeting with protesters, which his office has defended.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
'One of the single most terrifying things ever': Ontario couple among passengers on sinking tour boat in Dominican Republic
A Toronto couple are speaking out about their 'extremely dangerous' experience on board a sinking tour boat in the Dominican Republic last week.
7 surveillance videos linked to extortions of South Asian home builders in Edmonton released
The Edmonton Police Service has released a number of surveillance videos related to a series of extortion cases in the city now dubbed 'Project Gaslight.'
Ukraine uses long-range missiles secretly provided by U.S. to hit Russian-held areas, officials say
Ukraine for the first time has begun using long-range ballistic missiles provided secretly by the United States, bombing a Russian military airfield in Crimea last week and Russian forces in another occupied area overnight, American officials said Wednesday.
Pilot reported fire onboard plane carrying fuel, attempted to return to Fairbanks just before crash
One of the two pilots aboard an airplane carrying fuel reported there was a fire on the airplane shortly before it crashed and burned outside Fairbanks, killing both people on board, a federal aviation official said Wednesday.
Manitoba government tables bill to end ban on homegrown recreational cannabis
Manitoba is planning to lift its ban on the home growing of recreational cannabis.
All Alberta wildfires to date in 2024 believed to be human-caused: province
There are 63 wildfires burning in Alberta's forest protection area as of Wednesday morning and seven mutual aid fires, including one in the Municipal District of Peace.