Canadian courts vacate convictions against a faithful pastor targeted for defying COVID worship bans, exposing government overreach that spared secular spots but crushed church services. Pastor Koopman’s Defiance Amid Lockdown Bans Rev. John Koopman of Chilliwack Free Reformed Church in British Columbia held in-person worship services from 2020 to 2021 despite Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry’s orders banning them. The church complied with masking and distancing but prioritized religious duty over total shutdowns. Health authorities ignored the church’s accommodation request for weeks, while synagogues received swift approvals. This selective enforcement fueled charges exceeding 20, targeting faithful Christians who refused to abandon their God-given right to worship. Court Vacates Convictions on Technical Grounds In early 2026, reported January 8, a Canadian court vacated two of Koopman’s COVID-related convictions. Crown prosecutors acknowledged errors in court records, leading to the overturn without reviewing the bans’ constitutionality. This relieved $460 in fines from convictions, including one from February 2025. Koopman urged government review of “many errors” in worship restrictions. The Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms hailed it as a step forward but noted core issues of religious discrimination remain unaddressed. Pattern of Persecution Against Canadian Pastors Koopman’s case fits a broader assault on religious liberty during COVID lockdowns. In Alberta, Pastor Artur Pawlowski faced multiple arrests, 51 days in jail for a Coutts blockade sermon, and a 2023 mischief conviction later mitigated by time served. Pastor Tim Stephens saw charges dropped in August 2023 after repeated defiance. Other pastors endured jail time before releases. These incidents reveal government preference for secular venues over churches, eroding Charter-protected freedoms in ways that alarm defenders of faith and family. Provincial powers wielded fines up to $40,000, yet courts exposed prosecutorial weaknesses through concessions. JCCF’s legal challenges underscore motivations rooted in protecting worship as essential, not optional. Health officials like Henry justified bans for virus control, but unequal accommodations bred justified outrage among conservative communities valuing individual liberty over state mandates. Implications for Religious Freedom and Government Overreach Short-term, the vacating sets precedent for technical challenges, offering potential relief in remaining Koopman cases and similar disputes. Long-term, it spotlights enforcement flaws without endorsing full defiance or policy reversals. Religious communities see partial vindication, bolstering narratives of anti-Christian bias. Politically, it amplifies criticism of COVID-era overreach, echoing unfulfilled amnesty promises in Alberta. As President Trump restores American sovereignty in 2026, this Canadian saga warns against globalist-style intrusions on core values like faith and family. Socially, it strengthens resolve among patriots frustrated by past leftist policies that prioritized control over freedoms. Economic impacts stay minor, but the fight influences broader reviews of pandemic prosecutions. Pro-defiance voices see systemic errors; enforcement supporters cling to health order merits, though technical losses undermine them. Sources: Two Covid convictions against Pastor Koopman vacated Jailed Canadian pastor blasts Alberta Premier Danielle Smith COVID-19 pandemic charges dropped against Pastor Tim Stephens and others B.C. pastor’s fines set aside for violating in-person gathering rules during COVID lockdown Canadian pastor jailed over COVID rules released from prison