New Brunswick pastor apologizes after week in jail over COVID-19 rule breaches
A New Brunswick pastor is free after spending a week in jail and apologizing to the courts Friday for breaches of COVID-19 public health rules.
Philip James Hutchings, the pastor of His Tabernacle Family Church in Saint John, repeatedly apologized in the Court of Queen's Bench and agreed to sign an undertaking stating he understands the health rules and will comply.
Hutchings was found in contempt for not abiding by a consent order signed Oct. 8 requiring his congregants to follow health orders such as masking.
Lawyers for the province say Hutchings held a service two days later where people were seen leaving the church without masks, and health officials were barred from entering.
"My apologies your honour," Hutchings said in court Friday in a low voice while wearing a mask. "I intend to comply." Justice Hugh McLellan was quick to point out that Hutchings also said he would comply two weeks earlier but didn't.
The judge went on to detail how Hutchings and members of his congregation were seen leaving the church without masks, and enforcement officers were stopped by security guards and not allowed to enter the church. He noted that Hutchings then went on social media and mocked the provincial inspectors and boasted that he and congregants held a "packed service" at a new location.
"Do you see how that affects your credibility?" the judge asked. Hutchings asked for another chance, noting that every batter gets three strikes.
That prompted McLellan to start listing the pastor's actions in recent weeks, quipping "I'm losing track of how many strikes there are." He asked if Hutchings has considered that he may be misleading people -- to which Hutchings apologized again.
The judge said words were not enough and drafted an undertaking for Hutchings to sign to say he understands the provincial rules and will comply with them. New Brunswick public health rules require church congregants to wear masks. The law also requires that congregants either show proof of vaccination or keep socially distanced and that they not sing during services, which can be held at up to 50 per cent capacity.
The judge released a consent order declaring that Hutchings was in contempt of the Oct. 8 order and setting the punishment at seven days imprisonment, which has been served. The pastor had been detained since a court hearing last Friday.
McLellan also wants other officers of the church to be bound by the undertaking and has ordered Hutchings, his wife and two other officers to appear in his courtroom on Oct. 29 to sign a similar consent order.
Hutchings told the court his next few services will be conducted online.
The pastor did not speak with reporters as he left the courthouse or with supporters who waved signs that had images of masks and syringes and read "Be Brave! Do Not Comply with Discriminatory Orders and Mandates." One of the supporters, fellow pastor Ken Gilliard, said he doesn't believe there is a pandemic. "We are preaching freedom," he said.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 22, 2021.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'He's in our hearts': Family and friends still seek answers one year after Nathan Wise’s disappearance
It’s been a year since Nathan Wise went missing and his family is no closer to finding out what happened to him.
'My family doctor just fired me': Ontario patients frustrated with de-rostering
Dozens of Ontarians are expressing frustration in the province’s health-care system after their family doctors either dropped them as patients or threatened to after they sought urgent care elsewhere.
Ottawa pizzeria places among top 20 deep-dish pizzas in the world at international competition
An Ottawa pizzeria is being recognized as one of the top 20 deep-dish pizzas in the world.
Canada Post cracks down on Nunavut loophole to get free Amazon Prime shipping
Amazon's paid subscription service provides free delivery for online shopping across Canada except for remote locations, the company said in an email. While customers in Iqaluit qualify for the offer, all other communities in Nunavut are excluded.
Wildfire near Fort McMurray more than triples overnight, several evacuation alerts remain in place
The fire burning near Fort McMurray grew from 25 hectares to 5,500 hectares over the weekend.
Putin replaces Russian defence minister in rare cabinet shakeup
Russia’s President Vladimir Putin began a Cabinet shakeup on Sunday, proposing the replacement of Sergei Shoigu as defence minister as he begins his fifth term in office.
Man fatally 'slashed in the neck' in downtown Toronto, suspect outstanding
Police are searching for a male suspect after a man was “slashed in neck” on Sunday morning in downtown Toronto and died.
WATCH Dashcam video shows terrifying near-miss on two-lane northern Ontario highway
There were some scary moments for several people on a northern Ontario highway caught on video Thursday after a chain reaction following a truck fire.
Edibles, armchairs and adapters: Here are the recalls for this week
Health Canada announced various product recalls this week, including electric adapters, armchairs, cannabis edibles and vehicle components.