Amish community fined $400,000 for failing to download ArriveCan app

This episode of The Ezra Levant Show originally aired on August 14.

Tonight on The Ezra Levant Show, Ezra reveals how Ontario’s Amish community is under siege, facing unprecedented fines and legal hurdles due to their refusal to comply with digital mandates. Here's why this is a travesty.

In the serene countryside of Chatsworth, a community of Amish farmers lives as if in the 18th century, adhering strictly to their faith and traditions.

Their simple way of life — without electricity, telephones, or the internet — sets them apart from the rest of the modern world. Yet, this peaceful community is now grappling with a problem no one would have expected: a heavy-handed government bent on enforcing digital compliance.

The Amish, originally from Europe, found refuge in North America, escaping persecution in countries like the Netherlands, Germany, and Switzerland.

They settled in regions like Pennsylvania in the United States, and Canada, where they could live according to their beliefs. Hollywood has often romanticized the Amish way of life, as seen in the Harrison Ford movie Witness, which highlighted their detachment from modern society. However, the reality is far from idyllic, especially now, as the community faces a new form of persecution.

The problem began with the Canadian government's enforcement of the ArriveCan app during the COVID-19 pandemic. This app was mandatory for anyone entering Canada, requiring travellers to submit their health information digitally.

The Amish, however, do not use smartphones, let alone apps. They also have religious exemptions from vaccinations, making the use of such technology unnecessary and intrusive for them. Yet, despite these clear exemptions, the government insisted on compliance, leading to severe penalties.

The result? The Amish community in Chatsworth has been slapped with nearly $400,000 in fines for not using the ArriveCan app. This is a community that doesn’t use electricity, let alone digital applications.

The fines were not just a bureaucratic oversight — they were a targeted action. The government even went so far as to place liens on their properties, effectively freezing their ability to obtain loans and transfer land titles within families. These punitive measures have left the Amish community in a state of shock and despair.

Imagine being a farmer in need of a loan to buy cattle, only to be told that your property has a lien on it because of fines related to an app you cannot even use.

This situation is not just an attack on the Amish economy; it’s a direct assault on their religious freedoms. The government’s actions have created an uneven playing field, where a community that lives without modern conveniences is being punished for not participating in a digital system. It’s a blatant case of bureaucratic bullying, and it’s happening right under our noses.

Fortunately, The Democracy Fund has stepped in. They’ve begun taking up the cases of these Amish families, working to overturn the unjust fines and remove the liens placed on their properties. However, the road ahead is long and fraught with challenges, especially given the unique nature of the Amish community’s way of life.

The Amish may not fight back themselves — they are pacifists by nature — but they have welcomed the help of others who see the injustice in what’s happening.

This is not just a fight for the Amish; it’s a fight for religious freedom and the right to live according to one’s beliefs without government interference.

It’s time to stand with the Amish and ensure that their way of life, so different yet so enriching to the fabric of our society, is protected from unwarranted government intrusion.