By Canadian Press

Court Challenge

Calgary court to hear challenge of province’s COVID-19 restrictions ‘cancelling Christmas’

Dec 21, 2020 | 6:23 AM

CALGARY – Two southern Alberta churches and three individuals are to be in a Calgary court today to argue that the province’s COVID-19 restrictions “cancel Christmas” and infringe on constitutional rights.

They will be seeking an injunction to temporarily stay select public-health rules brought in by the Alberta government earlier this month.

The measures limit Christmas celebrations to individual households, restrict weddings and funerals to 10 people and prohibit outdoor gatherings.

Alberta Premier Jason Kenney announced the stricter rules to try to bring down stubbornly high COVID-19 cases and to ease pressure on hospitals.

James Kitchen, a lawyer for the Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms, says the restrictions violate the charter of rights and were imposed without consultation or review.

Kitchen says Alberta’s chief medical officer of health, Dr. Deena Hinshaw, has taken away people’s right to choose how they want to spend the holidays.

(The Canadian Press)