Ohio Legislature considers putting Canada on religious liberty watch list

COLUMBUS — Ohio legislators have taken note of the abuses of religious liberty with one of its trading partners. The Ohio House of Representatives have introduced a resolution calling out Canada for its religious persecution of clergy during the pandemic. They are urging the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) “to consider adding Canada to the Special Watch List of countries where the government engages in violations of religious freedom.”

The six-page resolution (H.R. 194) was introduced by Republican State Reps. Reggie Stoltzfus and Timothy Ginter, and was co-sponsored by eleven of their Republican fellow representatives.  The resolution mentions the history of religious freedom that Canada, the United States, and the state of Ohio share, but condemns the actions of Canadian authorities who arrested, fined, and jailed clergy members during COVID crackdowns. 

“The Northwest Ordinance stated in its first article, ‘No person demeaning himself in a peaceable and orderly manner, shall ever be molested on account of his mode of worship or religious sentiments in the said territory.,’ the resolution reads.

“We, the members of the House of Representatives of the 134th General Assembly of the State of Ohio, have taken note of the abuses of religious liberty that have gone on throughout the Provinces of Canada during the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Since the pandemic, Canadian authorities have targeted churches throughout the country, arresting and jailing pastors, levying large fines against congregations, and shuttering houses of worship. The proposal also provides a list of several examples of this abuse. 

Pastor Artur Pawlowski of Calgary, has been arrested on multiple occasions by authorities for holding church worship gatherings despite the mandates. Pawlowski, was arrested after telling protesters in the trucker convoy at the U.S.-Canada border to “hold the line” for freedom.  He was charged with mischief and interrupting the operation of essential infrastructure.

Pawlowski has been arrested five times over the last two years while protesting COVID mandates. He was also the first person to be arrested under Alberta’s Critical Infrastructure Defense Act, which allows law enforcement to arrest a perceived offender without a warrant. 

H.R. 194 also mentioned Pastor James Coates of Edmonton who was the first Canadian clergyman to be jailed for keeping his church open during the Canadian pandemic lockdown.

Pandemic lockdown policies were not the only grievance mentioned in the Ohio resolution.

Five thousand Canadian and American churches protested Canada’s Bill C-4 which penalizes anyone with jail time who counsels persons without affirming homosexuality and transgender identity. H.R. 194 comments, Bill C-4 “is overly broad in scope and has potential negative implications for religious liberties and expression for merely expressing a Biblical view of marriage.”

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