The Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms has announced that Randy Hillier, a former Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP), will present a constitutional challenge against Ontario's Stay-At-Home Order and the complete ban on protests from April to June 2021. .The case will be heard on July 27 and 28, 2023, at the Ontario Superior Court of Justice in Toronto..On April 8, 2021, the Ontario government put in place a Stay-at-Home Order. .People had to stay home, with only a few exceptions, for important reasons like buying food or going to the pharmacy. .This also meant that peaceful protests outside were not allowed..Hillier, who was a sitting MPP, received messages from many constituents. .They told him they were facing serious problems because of the multiple lockdowns that the Ontario government had already done..He learned that some individuals had lost their businesses, which they had worked hard to build over many years. .Additionally, people's mental and physical health worsened after being isolated for a year..Hillier stated that since he was their elected representative, he was responsible for speaking out publicly about their concerns..In reaction to the lockdown rules and the Stay-at-Home Order, Hillier went to a peaceful protest at South Bank Bistro in Brockville, Ontario, on April 8, 2021..Hillier attended another protest in Cornwall, Ontario, on May 1, 2021..He talked to a group of protesters about how important it is for Canadians to have their freedoms, which the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms protects..Because he participated in a peaceful protest, Hillier was accused of breaking the rules outlined in the Reopening Ontario Act. .As a result, he could be fined up to $100,000 and may have to spend up to one year in jail..A film production company from Montreal had dozens of people working closely together to film scenes for a Netflix movie in downtown Cornwall. At the same time, Hillier was being charged for peacefully protesting..Dr. Kevin Bardosh, a professor in the School of Public Health at the University of Washington, is one of the three expert witnesses testifying in this case. .Bardosh has a lot of medical experience and has given the court a detailed expert report about the harmful effects of lockdowns..After examining a large volume of evidence, the report states that the COVID-19 restrictions imposed by the government “cause excessive and needless harm to the mental health, physical health and well-being of Canadians.” .It also predicts that these harms will have “long-term, negative consequents on the future of Canadians society.”.Hillier's lawyers will show evidence that the government did not need to ban peaceful protests to achieve its public health objectives..They will also provide evidence that the lockdowns significantly negatively impacted people's health, society, and the economy..They will argue that, in a free and democratic society, the ban on peaceful protests was not justified..“Ontario’s Stay-at-Home Orders essentially confined people to house arrest for months on end, only allowing them to leave for approved purposes,” said lawyer Marty Moore. .“While getting pet food was an approved purpose, the Ontario government did not permit people to engage in peaceful outdoor protests, completely disregarding the freedom of peaceful assembly guaranteed by our Charter. The evidence in this case shows that there was no scientific or medical justification for this ban on outdoor protest, and rather that the government’s lockdown measures have created significant and enduring harm to Canadians.”
The Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms has announced that Randy Hillier, a former Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP), will present a constitutional challenge against Ontario's Stay-At-Home Order and the complete ban on protests from April to June 2021. .The case will be heard on July 27 and 28, 2023, at the Ontario Superior Court of Justice in Toronto..On April 8, 2021, the Ontario government put in place a Stay-at-Home Order. .People had to stay home, with only a few exceptions, for important reasons like buying food or going to the pharmacy. .This also meant that peaceful protests outside were not allowed..Hillier, who was a sitting MPP, received messages from many constituents. .They told him they were facing serious problems because of the multiple lockdowns that the Ontario government had already done..He learned that some individuals had lost their businesses, which they had worked hard to build over many years. .Additionally, people's mental and physical health worsened after being isolated for a year..Hillier stated that since he was their elected representative, he was responsible for speaking out publicly about their concerns..In reaction to the lockdown rules and the Stay-at-Home Order, Hillier went to a peaceful protest at South Bank Bistro in Brockville, Ontario, on April 8, 2021..Hillier attended another protest in Cornwall, Ontario, on May 1, 2021..He talked to a group of protesters about how important it is for Canadians to have their freedoms, which the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms protects..Because he participated in a peaceful protest, Hillier was accused of breaking the rules outlined in the Reopening Ontario Act. .As a result, he could be fined up to $100,000 and may have to spend up to one year in jail..A film production company from Montreal had dozens of people working closely together to film scenes for a Netflix movie in downtown Cornwall. At the same time, Hillier was being charged for peacefully protesting..Dr. Kevin Bardosh, a professor in the School of Public Health at the University of Washington, is one of the three expert witnesses testifying in this case. .Bardosh has a lot of medical experience and has given the court a detailed expert report about the harmful effects of lockdowns..After examining a large volume of evidence, the report states that the COVID-19 restrictions imposed by the government “cause excessive and needless harm to the mental health, physical health and well-being of Canadians.” .It also predicts that these harms will have “long-term, negative consequents on the future of Canadians society.”.Hillier's lawyers will show evidence that the government did not need to ban peaceful protests to achieve its public health objectives..They will also provide evidence that the lockdowns significantly negatively impacted people's health, society, and the economy..They will argue that, in a free and democratic society, the ban on peaceful protests was not justified..“Ontario’s Stay-at-Home Orders essentially confined people to house arrest for months on end, only allowing them to leave for approved purposes,” said lawyer Marty Moore. .“While getting pet food was an approved purpose, the Ontario government did not permit people to engage in peaceful outdoor protests, completely disregarding the freedom of peaceful assembly guaranteed by our Charter. The evidence in this case shows that there was no scientific or medical justification for this ban on outdoor protest, and rather that the government’s lockdown measures have created significant and enduring harm to Canadians.”
