Ontario MPP Randy Hillier’s court date has been deferred ‘to an undisclosed date’ due to an apparent backlog in the legal system.
The Lanark-Frontenac-Kingston MPP was charged on November 26th after holding an anti-lockdown rally at Queen’s Park, in contravention of the Reopening Ontario Act. Hillier was originally scheduled to appear in court on January 7th.
“Because of the overload of tickets and legal actions around the #COVID19 laws & the systemic disruptions they have created in our courts, my fight to end these overreaching orders is delayed to an undisclosed date,” said Hillier in a tweet on Thursday.
A now deleted tweet by Hillier had also displayed an excerpt of an email received by his legal representation. The email confirms that his case has not been heard due to a backlog, with the pandemic to blame.
“I did ask them if what happened was unused, I was informed that it has happened during the pandemic and again it’s because of the backlog,” said Hillier’s legal representation in an email.
Hillier’s legal representation anticipates that a hearing will occur within three or four weeks. If found guilty, he could face a fine between $10,000 to $100,000 and a year in jail.
The Independent MPP has garnered the support of several right wing groups in Canada. Hillier’s legal representation belongs to the Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms, who are specialists in litigation in support of right wing causes. The Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms recently penned a letter to the federal government opposing Bill-C6, an act to criminalize conversion therapy in Canada.
