Over $38,000 in fines have been waived and convictions set aside for a group of people from an Ontario Amish community who were convicted for not using the ArriveCan app during COVID-19 lockdowns.
Lawyers with The Democracy Fund (TDF) won the case after seven months of negotiations and multiple court appearances on behalf of the group known to avoid modern technology due to their faith.
The Amish families faced the legal challenges after crossing the border at Niagara Falls, according to the new release. “Their inability to use smartphones or interact with modern technology made it almost impossible to comply with the strict and continually-shifting COVID-19 regulations, particularly requirements involving the ArriveCan app,” the release said.
For failing to use the smartphone app, launched in 2020 as a way to track health and contact information, the Amish individuals were convicted in absentia under Canada’s Quarantine Act and fined over $38,000. TDF, a charity that works to promote constitutional rights, advocated on their behalf and managed to have the case reopened, paving the way for the convictions to be ultimately set aside and the fines waived.
The defendants’ lawyers said these Amish families depend on farming and community support to live and found the prospect of paying “such excessive fines” daunting.
The Epoch Times contacted Canada’s Department of Justice for comment but didn’t hear back by publication time.
The TDF’s lawyers say they are continuing to advocate for other members of the Amish community as well as other Canadians facing similar legal challenges.
