The charges against Fr. Tony have been dropped. Good. But they never should have happened in the first place.
'Bubble zone' law constitutionally challenged
“Our position is the legislation is such a serious Charter breach that it should never have been available to prosecute a man in his 80s peacefully carrying out his priestly duties, and protesting legislation that effectively amounts to anti-blasphemy laws,” Polizogopoulos said. “Just its attempt to outlaw ‘discouraging language’ on a public street in the nation’s capital — or anywhere in Canada — seems to exemplify what the courts have defined as legal overreach.” ...
..."On the day he was arrested four years ago, Van Hee was deemed to be within the 50 metre legal “bubble zone” around the Morgentaler clinic on Bank Street.He held signs that read: “The Primacy of Free Speech: Cornerstone of Western Civilization” and “Without Free Speech the State is a Corpse.”
He was subsequently charged with intimidation or attempted intimidation. The single initial charge was later dropped and replaced by two charges of “inform(ing) or attempt(ing) to inform a person concerning issues related to abortion services, by any means, including oral, written or graphic means,” and “perform(ing) or attempt(ing) to perform an act of disapproval concerning issues related to abortion services, by any means.”"
Fr. Tony's charges were a witch hunt. I have been with Fr. Tony when he holds that sign--a sign that does not even mention abortion. Charged with 'intimidation or attempted intimidation' is a joke. Fr. Tony is the least intimidating person I have ever met. He surely did not 'inform anyone concerning issues relating to abortion'. How could he? He never speaks to anyone about abortion when he sits there quietly holding his sign, and his sign said nothing about abortion.
In fact, if a person of the pro-choice variety, with purple hair and a ring through their nose and carrying the same sign, they would never have been arrested. Fr. Tony was arrested because he was a Catholic priest protesting the freedom of speech that this law violates. Everyone knows Fr. Tony is pro-life, so that just ticked off another of the check boxes that makes him a perfect a scapegoat for this Charter violation law that only targets pro-life people most of whom are Catholics or Evangelical Christians.
Fr. Tony's Charter Challenge against this discriminatory law goes ahead. Thank God for that.
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