The head of the Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms says he has been arrested and charged with obstruction of justice after admitting that in 2021 he ordered the following of the top Manitoba judge and other government officials at the height of pandemic restrictions.."As you may remember, during the height of COVID restrictions and lockdowns, it was reported that key members of Manitoba’s leadership were breaching public health regulations. In June 2021, as was already reported at the time, Justice Centre President John Carpay made the unilateral decision to hire an investigator to ascertain the credibility of these claims," said the JCCF in a New Year's Day release.."In a follow-up statement we shared, 'Mr. Carpay’s decision to conduct surveillance of Manitoba government officials followed a number of high-profile instances where those who imposed and enforced lockdown restrictions were themselves found violating their own rules, partying on rooftops, ignoring rules about face masks and social distancing, and jetting off to exotic holiday locations to countries without COVID restrictions. This flagrant flaunting of standards took place while Canadians faced unprecedented restrictions on their Charter-guaranteed freedoms to travel, assemble, associate with others, and worship.'”.In July 2021, Carpay apologized to Chief Justice Glenn Joyal for having included him in the surveillance of government officials, including Manitoba’s premier and Chief Medical Officer..On Friday, Carpay was contacted by the Calgary Police Service and made aware of a warrant for his arrest for obstruction. This warrant had been issued by the Winnipeg Police Service in connection with the surveillance events. Carpay immediately informed the JCCF and turned himself into Calgary police, and spent the night in jail.."This charge is wholly unexpected and inexplicable. The events took place over 17 months ago, and police have not contacted Mr. Carpay nor the Justice Centre since July of 2021. Rather, Mr. Carpay has been cooperating with the investigation of this matter by the Law Society of Manitoba. At the time of the events, the Justice Centre Board of Directors also took appropriate steps to strengthen governance and oversight of the organization while Mr. Carpay took a seven-week leave of absence," said the JCCF.."We are deeply disappointed that the Winnipeg police would choose to lay a criminal charge for events that took place more than 17 months ago and that are already being dealt with appropriately. It is doubly disappointing that it was decided that these actions should take place during the holiday season when Mr. Carpay is spending time with his family. Instead, on New Year’s Eve, he was held in jail for 23 hours in an isolated cell without a cot, mattress, blanket, or even a pillow! Oddly, when he was released, his sole bail condition was to refrain from contacting Chief Justice Joyal, an individual that he has never contacted, outside of issuing an apology to him in July 2021.".Over the last several years, the JCCF has represented scores of Canadians and groups fighting the Constitutionality of COVID-19 pandemic laws brought in by various levels of governments across the country.
