Alberta’s Church in the Vine and its co-lead pastor, Tracy Fortin, face a $1.3 million fine for obstructing a public health officer.

Rebel News’s Sheila Gunn Reid reported that Fortin testified that he and others screened admissions to the church following two incidents wherein health officials barged into the congregation without a warrant over allegations the church wasn’t abiding by COVID regulations.

An inspector testified that she “was part of a joint task force of municipal bylaw officers and Alberta Health Services officials whose job was to check churches for COVID compliance. Photographic evidence taken bylaw officers of people engaged in active worship and prayer was entered into evidence on Wednesday.”

Some of the sins that the government accused the church of committing are feeding people cinnamon buns, shaking hands, hugging, and even singing. J’accuse!

Nonetheless, the church currently does not face any charges of violating health orders.

Alberta’s health authorities have been notorious throughout the pandemic for persecuting pastors.

Artur Pawlowski, a well-known preacher, activist, and pastor, was arrested several times throughout the pandemic for disregarding COVID rules.

His most recent arrest was in February after giving a speech to motivate truckers participating in the Freedom Convoy protest at the Coutts border, which authorities claimed was tantamount to inciting violence and breaching his order to keep the peace. In late March, he was released on bail.

Last September, he was arrested immediately upon arrival in Canada after a four-month tour of the United States as part of his Courage Freedom Tour.

Before that, Pawlowski was arrested in May for the audacity of holding in-house church gatherings. This arrest came only a month after he infamously kicked police officers out of his church while shouting “Gestapo” at them in a viral video.