The Calgary pastor who used “hateful vitriol” at children’s library events should spend a year in jail for harassing a librarian, argued the prosecution Thursday.
In August, Derek Reimer was convicted of criminal harassment and four breaches of his bail conditions stemming from his protests at library drag storytime events which he called “pervert grooming sessions.”
While prosecutor Matt Dalidowicz proposed a jail term followed by three years of probation, defence lawyer Andrew Mackenzie asked Justice Karen Molle to consider a time-served sentence of about six to eight weeks.
Molle will make her decision next month.
During Thursday’s sentencing hearing, Dalidowicz argued that not only has Reimer not shown remorse or insight into his crimes, he continues to offend by publishing posts to his public Facebook account including one in which both he and his lawyer urged people to watch the video that formed the basis for the harassment conviction.
Mackenzie painted his client as a man who was “born again” and has devoted himself to public service after living a life of crime and violence more than a decade ago.
“His right to protest LGBT and drag events is not in question,” argued Mackenzie. “The question is the manner in which he does that.”
‘The homosexual agenda’
In 2023, Reimer was arrested three times in five weeks as he showed up at various Reading with Royalty events hosted at Calgary Public Library locations across the city.
He was released from custody on conditions including that he stay away from LGBTQ events.
The storytimes involve drag queens and kings reading books to children who are invited to don capes and crowns.
Reimer has repeatedly referred to the events as “wrong,” “evil” and part of what he described as “the homosexual agenda.”
On March 27, 2023, Reimer attended the Saddletowne library and asked to speak with the manager. He proceeded to record their conversation, during which he again made derogatory comments about drag queens.
‘Your name’s going to be out there’
Later that day, he posted the video to Facebook, encouraging his followers to contact the manager to express their “disgust.”
He told her she was “corrupting kids” and that if her library followed through on hosting the planned event he would return.
“We’re going to make this public and your name’s going to be out there,” he told the woman.
“We’ll be back.. and I don’t think you want that kind of attention.”
Reimer then posted the video, encouraging his followers to “take action.”
He included the library phone number, the manager’s name and the date, time and location of the next drag event.
Reimer ‘doubled down’
Dalidowicz called it a “personal attack” and said the victim “felt she was being accused of something very despicable.”
Worse still, argued Dalidowicz, “the offence continues.”
Not only is the post still on the social media page but Reimer “doubled down,” said Dalidowicz.
“Before the ink on this court’s verdict was even dry,” Dalidowicz told Molle that Reimer posted another public video in which both he and his lawyer criticized the judge’s conviction decision and encouraged the public to watch the original video.
“It continues to visit significant harm upon the victim,” said Dalidowicz who then played the video for the court.
“There was a lot of leaping, a lot of stretching in this decision that I found concerning,” said Mackenzie. “I don’t think that Derek should have been found guilty of criminal harassment.”
‘You can be the judge’
Mackenzie explained that criminal harassment is “an area with a high standard.”
“If you are criminally harassed, what that means is you have to be tormented, troubled, continually or chronically worried, plagued, bedevilled,” said Mackenzie.
“You know what the librarian said in her testimony? The prosecutor asked her ‘how did Derek’s conduct make you feel?’ She said it made her feel ‘upset.'”
“If it’s criminal harassment to upset someone, we’re all guilty.”
Later on in the video he said he feels that the convictions “stretched the limits of evidence.”
“You can watch the video of the interaction, you can be the judge,” Mackenzie urged viewers.
“I think the decision could be ripe for an appeal and I think it should get filed. Help Derek out here.”
Reimer received ‘very threatening messages’
The Crown argued that the sentence needs to send a message to the public “that they should not follow in Derek Reimer’s footsteps.”
In his submissions, Mackenzie pointed out that cases which attracted custodial sentences often involved more frequent and prolonged harassment, in one case “hundreds and hundreds of communications.”
In this case, said Mackenzie, the victim closed her LinkedIn account, tightened up her Facebook privacy settings and “looked over her shoulder at work.”
“That’s the extent of the harm in this case,” he said.
Mackenzie said his client has received “very threatening messages” from people including wishes to see Reimer dead.
Reimer left behind ‘traditional criminality’
The defence lawyer acknowledged his client’s criminal past and record for crimes of violence including aggravated assault and animal abuse but explained that he is no longer the same person.
Reimer, who grew up in Manitoba, was involved in “traditional criminality” but experienced a “religious awakening” in the last decade.
The pastor “has pretty much completely abandoned” his previous lifestyle in favour of his street ministry, said Mackenzie, who estimated Reimer reached about 100 people per week in Calgary.
Mackenzie argued his client should be given credit for time he spent behind bars after he was arrested for other offences and before he committed the crimes for which he’s now being sentenced.
Reimer was acquitted on charges of mischief and causing a disturbance connected to an incident at the Seton library in February 2023. He was found guilty of breach charges last month and fined $500.
Reimer addresses court
The defence also argued that Reimer suffered an injury – a fractured hand – at the remand centre which should lead to enhanced credit.
But Dalidowicz strongly disagreed, pointing out that according to remand centre staff, Reimer broke his hand by punching his sleeping cellmate in the face.
When given a chance to address the court, Reimer said he is misunderstood.
“I am not the man the court and the media portray me to be,” said Reimer.
He said he just wants to “protect kids from a sexual ideology that is corrupting them.”
“I thought in this country that I had the freedom to do that.”