Republican Senator Josh Hawley is rallying for the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) to add Canada to its Watch List for its continued religious freedom violations, which include the imprisonment of Christian church leaders and the confiscation of church property. These violations were made throughout the last year in the name of public health restrictions to ensure the prevention of the spread of COVID in communities.
Canadian church leaders have been defiant about such COVID lockdowns and restrictions on community gatherings. In Edmonton, Alberta, Pastor James Coates of the GraceLife Church was taken by authorities and put in jail for 30 days after he refused a conditional release that prohibited him from holding church services until the church complied with the 15% capacity limit stipulated by the Alberta Health Services.
Supporters gathered to raise over $45,000 to help with legal fees. His charter application was later dismissed by Alberta provincial court Judge Robert Shaigec, who ruled that his religious freedom was not violated. Also in Alberta, the Fairview Baptist Church was shut down by the authorities after it repeatedly violated public health restrictions at the weekly Sunday gathering.
For Sen. Hawley, the Canadian government had crossed the line, calling out their "systematic, ongoing and egregious violations of religious freedom" and expressing his concern that "freedom is in peril across our nation's northern border," the Christian Post reported. The Missouri senator expressed his concerns through a letter to USCIRF, which he is urging to place Canada on its Watch List for their continued religious freedom violations.
"I am troubled that our Canadian neighbors are effectively being forced to gather in secret, undisclosed locations to exercise their basic freedom to worship," Sen. Hawley said in his letter. "Frankly, I would expect this sort of religious crackdown in Communist China, not in a prominent Western nation like Canada."
Sen. Hawley's letter cited Pastor Tim Stephens, who was arrested in front of his wife and kids in June after being previously arrested in May. The church where he serves, Fairview Baptist Church in Calgary, Canada, may be able to resume indoor worship services beginning today, as Alberta Health Services is looking to lift restrictions in the area, the World News Group reported. Pastor Stephens, however, remains in jail awaiting his hearing date of July 12.
Back in May, Canadian authorities arrested Street Church Alberta's Pastor Arthur Pawlowski and his brother and accused them of hosting an "illegal in-person gathering" and "requesting, inciting or inviting others" to participate. Pawlowski, a Polish immigrant, likened his arrest to those he witnessed when he grew up in Poland behind the Iron Curtain, Newsweek reported. The USCIRF has admitted to receiving Sen. Hawley's letter and are currently "looking into it."
In his letter, Sen. Hawley noted that the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms guarantees one's "freedom of conscience and religion." He argued that the Canadian government is failing to uphold such rights.
