Sloan and Hillier face breach of Re-Opening Act charges

Independent MP Derek Sloan and Independent MPP Randy Hillier attended an Aylmer, Ontario church service on Sunday, Apr. 25, 2021, where police have now laid charges for failure to comply under the Reopening Ontario Act.

According to Aylmer Police on Facebook, “Church of God Restoration has been charged under the Re-opening Act of Ontario with Corporation – Fail to comply with a continued section 7.0.2 order.”  They list six descriptions of specific individuals who have been identified and charged for their participation and role in the delivery of the church service.

Four of the charged individuals are from western Ontario, but two, a 63-year-old man from Perth, Ont., and a 36-year-old man from Stirling, Ont., fit the descriptions of Hillier and Sloan respectively.

In a statement to The Kingstonist, Sloan wrote, “I suspect I fit the description of one of the charges though I have not been personally notified.”

For his part, Sloan explained, “The lockdowns are unconstitutional and cause far more harm than good. The government has been too afraid to actually follow through on fighting any of these tickets in court, for fear of the obvious – that they will be ruled unconstitutional. Therefore I will appeal this ticket without any expectation of actually being convicted.”

All individuals have been summoned to court and are scheduled to appear in June, charged with Individual – fail to comply with a section 7.0.2 order contrary to s.10(1) of the Re-opening Act of Ontario.

In a YouTube video of the service published by pastor Henry Hildebrant, Sloan and Hillier are welcomed with hugs and applause. Both are maskless.

Police said “A large number of participants attended the Church of God Restoration and entered the church for the service in violation of the current emergency orders.”

In anticipation of breaches of the current Emergency Orders, the Aylmer Police monitored the church service taking place Sunday and their communications centre received over a dozen complaints from the local residents reporting the breaches of the Emergency Order.

There were also multiple arrests made.

On Monday, Apr. 26, 2021, Aylmer Police arrested a wanted 52-year-old woman from Shakespeare after she turned herself in at the station. On Sunday, this church service participant “intentionally began to interfere with an Aylmer Officer and despite warnings regarding obstructing continued to interfere.”

The female was later identified and, in the process of their investigation, Police identified the aforementioned organizers of the event, which resulted in the charges against them being laid.

She was released by way of an undertaking charged with one count of Obstructing Police in the execution of the duties and is scheduled to appear in St. Thomas Court later in June.

According to police, during the service “a church participant began to interfere with an Aylmer officer in the execution of his duties. He was warned regarding obstruction and continued to interfere. As a result, the male, a 20 year old from Perth East Township, was arrested and later released on an Undertaking charged with Obstruct Police.”

A third church-goer “charged towards a civilian reporter in an aggressive assaultive manner,” said police. As a result, a 48-year-old male from Perth East Township was arrested for assault and later released on an Undertaking charged with assault.

Kingstonist has reached out to MPP Hillier for comment and will update this article if/when response is received.