WATCH: (March 1, 2021) A group of B.C. churches are challenging the B.C. Public Health Order prohibiting public gatherings, claiming those rules infringe on their Charter rights. Ted Chernecki reports – Mar 1, 2021 The B.C. Supreme Court has dismissed a legal challenge to the province’s restrictions on in-person religious gatherings. Chief Justice Christopher Hinkson released the judgment Thursday. In the 60-page decision, Hinkson found that while provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry’s ban on in-person worship did constitute an infringement on religious groups’ charter rights to freedom of religion, the infringement was reasonable based on the range of options open to the province. “Dr. Henry turned her mind to the impact of her orders on religious practices and governed herself by the principle of proportionality,” he wrote. “She consulted widely with faith leaders and individually asked for the input of the leaders of two of the churches making up the religious petitioners, while affirming the need for respect for the rule of law and public health.” Hinkson ruled there was no evidence the province’s rules discriminated on a particular religious group. Church challenge of government restrictions hears questions about Dr. Bonnie Henry’s policies – Mar 3, 2021 He […]
