“It is not our job to monitor public officials. We unreservedly condemn what we have done,” the committee said in a press release, and apologized to Glenn Joyal, Chief Justice of the Manitoba Throne Court, “because it caused Panic, interference and invasion of privacy.

“All such activities have stopped and will not happen again in the future.”

Choyal said on Monday morning that he was being followed by a private investigator in an attempt to catch his violation of COVID-19 rules in order to embarrass him when he presided over a court challenge related to the province’s lockdown measures.

Joyal disclosed the information at the hearing of the case, and the information was Seven Manitoba Country Churches Represented by JCCF.

Carpay later stated that his organization hired private investigators to track Joyal as part of its efforts to hold government officials accountable, although he stated that this was not an attempt to influence the decision of the case.

He also said that the organization has hired private investigators to track other public officials to find them in violation of public health regulations.

Carpay apologized for its wrong judgment on Monday.

Jay Cameron, another lawyer who represented the JCCF in the court challenge, became aware of the surveillance a few weeks ago and apologized to Joal on Monday.

During the virtual hearing, Gioal said he realized that he was being followed by a car when he left the Manitoba courthouse in downtown Winnipeg on Thursday and was driving around the city.

He said that private detectives even followed him to his private house and asked a little boy to ring the doorbell when he was not at home to confirm where he lived. Choyal said that the private detective followed him to his cabin.

Joyal stated that this will not affect his decision in this case, but said that it is “unthinkable” not to share it with the court because it may have an impact on the judicial administration.

He said that the surveillance of his home and the violation of his privacy have caused widespread concerns about the privacy and safety of judges. He said that this type of activity can also be seen as a direct or indirect obstruction of justice.

He said: “I am deeply concerned that this kind of private investigation and surveillance may or will be used in any high-profile ruling case involving any presiding judge.”

At the beginning of the hearing, Choyal said he did not know who hired the private investigative agency and refused to disclose this information. He also said that Winnipeg police is investigating.

The JCCF board of directors also said on Tuesday that it will appoint an interim president and will review the organization’s operations and decision-making.

‘It’s just not done’

Ottawa human rights lawyer Richard Warman (Richard Warman) has filed a complaint with the Bar Associations of Manitoba and Alberta about the incident.

“This is probably the most serious case of professional misconduct I have heard in a long time,” he said.

“Any lawyer found to be involved in this matter should face the most severe sanctions, including disqualification. This is just not done.”

Eric Adams, a professor and deputy dean of the University of Alberta School of Law, said that Carpay is likely to violate the Code of Conduct of the Provincial Law Association, and he may be condemned, fined or even disqualified as a lawyer.

“Lawyers across Canada shook their heads in disbelief,” Adams said. “This [code of conduct] Specifically, lawyers cannot hire anyone to try to influence the court or judge. “

Watch | The lawyer asks for leave after admitting that he was followed by a judge:

The lawyer who hired a private investigator to follow the chief justice of Manitoba is taking an indefinite leave of absence from the Constitutional Freedom Justice Center because questions about who else might be monitored continue to emerge. 1:58

Toronto charity lawyer Mark Blumberg said that Carpay’s actions may have a negative impact on JCCF’s status as a registered charity.

“A very basic concept is that Canadian charities registered in Canada are not allowed to operate here illegally,” he said.

“Being a charity can get a lot of benefits, and with it comes certain obligations. It’s a bit like an agreement between society and the government. You will be able to become a charity, but you must also comply with many different requirements.”

Bloomberg said that gaining public trust is critical to the charity sector, and such incidents may undermine this.

Carpay is the former provincial director of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation.

He has previously made headlines by comparing the swastika with the LGBTQ pride flag and challenging the Gay League, a peer support group that aims to tackle bullying and provide a supportive environment for LGBTQ students, as an “ideological club”. news.

In 2017, Governor Jason Kenney compared Carpay’s work with that of civil rights icon Rosa Parks, but has since condemned Carpay’s remarks.