Alberta Premier Danielle Smith confirmed Friday she may pardon people who were given tickets during the COVID-19 pandemic..In an exclusive interview with the Western Standard, Smith said she would be open to the idea and is considering pardoning people who were charged during the pandemic for breaking the imposed rules..Alberta Health Services laid charges against pastor Tim Stephens, of the Fairview Baptist Church, for breaking lockdown restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic, eventually the charges were dropped. .On May 16, Stephens became the third Alberta pastor sent to jail for breaking COVID-19 lockdown rules..Stephens was ticketed several times for allegedly breaching Dr. Deena Hinshaw’s public health orders. .Stephens was imprisoned in the Calgary Remand Centre for three days before Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms lawyers could secure his release..Pastor James Coates, of the GraceLife Church outside Edmonton, spent a month in jail after he was arrested by the RCMP for breaking lockdown regulations repeatedly. .Pastor Art Pawlowski was arrested in Calgary for continuing to flout the regulations at his street church..Also, numerous people were ticketed during the pandemic for attending things like rallies.. "I think it would be inappropriate for me to step in if there's criminal prosecution, in the case of firearms, for instance, or if there was an assault," Smith said.."When it comes to the pastor, the Criminal Code gives protection for pastors, you are not allowed to interrupt a service — that's how seriously we take the role of our men or women wearing the cloth.".Smith said she believes there was an error made in that regard. ."My intention would be to deliver a blanket amnesty. It was inappropriate political decisions that led to that inappropriate enforcement and so it seems to be a political decision to say we made a mistake. We're sorry, won't happen again," Smith said. ."I think the experts let us down so I'm not interested in taking any advice from them."
