Former Alberta premier Jason Kenney has pulled out of speaking at an event about global religious persecution after blowback over the initial announcement. “Two days until this event, still time to RSVP!” tweeted Conservative MP Garnett Genuis (Sherwood Park-Fort Saskatchewan, AB). The panelists at the event have been changed to Hong Kong Watch policy advisor Katherine Leung, Genuis, and International Christian Voice member David Bhatti. The event will be held on Saturday at 5:30 p.m. at the People’s Church in Edmonton. .Kenney allowed GraceLife Church Pastor James Coates to be persecuted by throwing him in jail in 2021 after he violated COVID-19 restrictions to hold religious services. READ MORE: Edmonton-area pastor jailed for breaching COVID regulationsA judge threw Coates in the slammer after he twice refused to tell the court he would stop his services.“On Sunday, February 14, the RCMP, with AHS (Alberta Health Services), attended the GraceLife Church to assess compliance in relation to conditions issued to the Pastor on February 7,” said the RCMP. Kenney enabled the Calgary Police Service (CPS) to arrest Street Church Pastor Artur Pawlowski and his son Nathaniel in 2021 for flouting COVID-19 restrictions by holding packed church services and organizing protests. READ MORE: WATCH: Calgary police arrest Pastor Pawlowski for breaching COVID lockdownCPS said it was acting on a new AHS-sought court injunction enabling it to arrest protest ringleaders.“Earlier today, police arrested an organizer of a church service who was in violation of a new court order obtained by Alberta Health Services in relation to mandatory compliance of public health orders for gatherings,” said CPS. Stephens became the third religious leader arrested in Alberta for breaking COVID-19 restrictions over church attendance in 2021.READ MORE: Third pastor arrested in Alberta for breaking COVID lockdownsStephens was arrested by CPS. He had been the subject of repeated warnings from AHS for having too many people at his services.Earlier that month, Stephens vowed to continue religious services.Genuis confirmed on February 15 Kenney would be speaking at the event about global religious persecution, despite his government locking up various pastors during the COVID-19 pandemic. READ MORE: Kenney to appear on panel about religious persecution“Click here to RSVP if you'd like to join: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSflgK-SnATvWMDIdZHxeadWP7E-WvrhNM0t9GOK9Lx4dwz74A/viewform,” he said. They were supposed to appear onstage with Voice of the Martyrs Rev. Greg Musselman.
