Steinbach-area church plans another in-person service in defiance of health order

A rural Manitobachurch that's already been fined for breaking a provincial public health order says it will hold another in-person service this Sunday.

The Church of God south of Steinbachis not backing down from its fight against the province and is using a newly created Facebook page to encouragepeople to attend.

Manitoba's current public health order limits groups to five people, bans visitors to homesand orders places of worship to close with some exceptions.

Dr. Brent Roussin,the province's chief provincial public health officer, said the government has a number of tools it can use for enforcement of public health restrictions.

"If somebody was undertaking activity that we felt putthe health of the public at risk, we could issue a health hazard order that would require an organization to close. There could be continued fines, there could be prosecution under the Public Health Act. Sothose are just the various options available to to enforce things," he said.

Roussinsaid the test positivityrate for Steinbachremainsat a troubling high. Last week, he said the the local health district had hit40 per cent.

The RCMP wouldn't say what its officers would do if another large crowd shows up to the church on Sunday.

"We must stress that participating in any type of large gathering at this time is a contravention of the provincial emergency orders currently in place by the province of Manitoba. Contravening these orders would put people at risk, and we all have a role in keeping Manitobans safe," wroteCpl. Julie Courchaine in an email.

She added the force would work closely with the province to protectcitizens.

The church's decision to promote another in-person worshiping event comes after it received a $5,000 fine Tuesday for holding a service last Sunday the RCMP said well over 100 attended.

The province also fined Church of God minister Tobias Tissenfor being there and attending a protest in Steinbach earlier this month. Tissen, who is facingtwo fines totalling nearly $2,600, declined to do an interview Thursday.

The Church of God has held similar services in violation of public health orders in other jurisdictions.