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March 10, 2021 (LifeSiteNews) — A Canadian pastor and his son who have been outspoken in opposition to COVID lockdowns have allegedly been stripped of their Conservative Party of Canada (CPC) memberships.
According to a report in the Western Standard, Pastor Henry Hildebrandt, along with his son Herbert, of the Church of God in Alymer, Ontario, were recently told their party memberships were revoked.
“We’re conservative. We have a conservative lifestyle overall. Most people that attend us dress conservatively,” Herbert Hildebrandt told the Western Standard. “The party revoked both his and my membership, refused to provide reasons beyond referencing the general reasons why they can do so, [for instance] conduct unbecoming a member, etc. I appealed and the decision was upheld by the executive.”
Henry Hildebrandt and his son have been vocal opponents of government-imposed COVID-19 lockdown measures, along with others from his congregation.
Several members of the Church of God have received fines for defying the local health orders. Herbert was also charged with obstruction of justice in December of 2020.
Herbert noted that he hosted now-independent MP Derek Sloan at his home last summer. Sloan, who ran in the CPC leadership race last year, was kicked out of the party by leader Erin O’Toole earlier this year.
Herbert wondered if he might be considered to be a “hardcore Sloan supporter,” and if that had anything to do with him and his dad getting the boot from the party.
“I like what I see some of these like Randy Hillier [and] Derek are doing with the lockdown caucus. I feel like we need to be more issue-based and less partisan-based. Maybe what we need is 100 independent MPs and MPPs that don’t have to follow a party whip, but actually can vote their conscience on issues that affect the Canadian people. Because, honestly, I feel like the partisan system right now is just broken … We saw with Derek and others, you … actually can’t vote your conscience. You have to vote the party or you’re out, right? So, really, what’s the point of having all these MPs if they can’t even represent their constituents?” asked Herbert.
He said he and his father “presume” their expulsion from the party may have something to do with their anti-lockdown views, and that O’Toole is taking the party in a “totally” different direction.
“I’m sure that it’s since we’ve been involved with many of the anti-lockdown activities, been very vocal on religious freedoms and how the charter is being demolished right now with these emergency orders and edicts that … seemingly have no expiry date anymore. That’s what we’re presuming. They call it conduct unbecoming a member. I’m assuming … that would be probably the reason why, because O’Toole is taking that in a totally different direction,” said Hebert.
He also pointed out that O’Toole is buying into “cancel culture” to “stamp out” dissent from those in the party who do not bow to it.
“We really believe firmly that it’s part and parcel of the entire cancel culture that Erin O’Toole himself spoke out against, when he was running, about the evils of cancel culture,” said Hebert.
“And now he has embraced and perfected it in his own party to stamp out any dissent or anything that he feels like would be negative for the party in the mainstream media because he wants to be a media darling, not a leader.”
According to a report in True North News, the CPC said that they do not provide information on individual membership in the party.
The CPC will be holding a virtual convention on March 18 and 19, debating party policy and constitution. There are around 4,000 delegate spots available at the convention.
Campaign Life Coalition (CLC) director of political operations Jack Fonseca told LifeSiteNews back in January after Sloan was booted from the party that his organization has told all of their CPC delegate supporters to “not pull out of the Convention,” to “continue as voting delegates, and to make a powerful show of force at the Convention.”
Sloan has also urged his followers to stay with the party to keep the social conservative voice active.
CLC has said there are over 1,000 strong delegates ready to attend the convention to make the pro-life voice heard.
Herbert said, according to the Western Standard, that as soon as he “filed for the delegate spot, it was only three days, I think, or four days, and boom, I got it. I got the letter, and then my dad as well. I’m sure there’s other ones.”
Recently, Henry Hildebrandt called on everyone to join him and others in a week of prayer and fasting, which took place from February 28 to March 6.
He also made the trip to Edmonton, Alberta, to be at a protest in support of jailed Pastor James Coates of Grace Life Church.
Coates was jailed for preaching his faith to his flock amid severe lockdowns. An Alberta judge recently dismissed an appeal to Coates’ bail conditions, which block his release unless he agrees to not hold church services, meaning he will remain behind bars until his trial date of May 3 to 5.
Contact information
MP Erin O’Toole
Leader of the Conservative Party of Canada
Leader of the Opposition
House of Commons
Ottawa, ON
Canada
K1A 0A6
Email: [email protected]
Tel: 613-992-2792
Fax: 613-992-2794
Conservative Head Office
Tel: 1-866-808-8407
Email via submission form
MP contact page: https://www.ourcommons.ca/Members/en/addresses