Police, public health re-issue previously withdrawn tickets against Bladez 2 Fadez

Police and Alberta Health Services are looking for a do-over in the case of Natalie Klein and her barbershop, Bladez 2 Fadez.

By Sheila Gunn Reid
|
September 01, 2021

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Central Alberta barbershop owner Natalie Klein is suing the Alberta government and the police for Charter violations and abuse of process, after the authorities re-issued lockdown tickets to her that were previously withdrawn by the Crown prosecutor.

The Innisfail proprietor of Bladez 2 Fadez, and niece of former Alberta Conservative premier Ralph Klein, led a rebellion of salon and personal care businesses when she re-opened her shop against provincial lockdown restrictions. She was immediately harassed by the police and Alberta Health Services inspectors, who issued her two tickets for violating the public health orders and ordered her business closed. Premier Jason Kenney's UCP government rolled back restrictions on the personal care industry just days after she re-opened.

Rebel News rushed to help Natalie through FightTheFines.com, our civil liberties project in partnership with the registered Canadian charity, The Democracy Fund, and made possible through crowdfunding from the generosity of viewers. We put her in touch with civil litigator Chad Williamson from Williamson Law at no cost to Natalie, and Williamson began fighting her tickets.

Ultimately, her two lockdown tickets were formally withdrawn, and the prosecutor in her case sent a letter to Williamson confirming that Natalie's tickets were no longer hanging over her head. But the story doesn't end there. The police and health bureaucrats, wanting another kick at the can, re-issued the same two tickets to Natalie. That's not how things are supposed to work. The cops and government health scolds can't chase Natalie forever because she embarrassed them in the media and in the court of public opinion.

So Rebel News and Williamson are helping Natalie fight those re-charged tickets, but we are also helping her teach the government and the police a lesson in Charter rights and due process. Natalie beat these tickets, once. The Crown wisely didn't want to proceed. That's where all this should have ended. Instead, it appears there is some sort of vendetta against Natalie because she stood up and inspired others to do the same. Even though Alberta is largely re-opened, I think the authorities are trying to make an example of Natalie, to make sure no one gets the same ideas she had, because there is the potential for another hard lockdown in our future.

Natalie and her lawyer can't take on the full force of the Alberta government and the cops alone. The government has all those limitless taxpayer-funded resources to fight small businesses. Natalie has us and all of you. If you are able to donate to offset her legal costs to defend her Charter rights, but also the Charter rights of all of us, please donate at www.FightTheFines.com.

All donations there now qualify for a charitable tax receipt through the registered Canadian charity, The Democracy Fund.

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