Kevin J. Johnston wanted in Ontario and Alberta after failing to show up to serve jail sentences

An Ontario judge has issued a province-wide warrant for the arrest of Kevin J. Johnston after he failed to show up to court Tuesday to begin serving jail time for continuing "unrelenting hate speech" against restaurateur Mohamad Fakih despite an injunction to stop. 

The warrant means Johnston — a former fringe Calgary mayoral candidate — is now wanted in Ontario and Calgary for failing to show up for jail sentences in both provinces.

Johnston was scheduled to be at the courthouse at 361 University Ave in Toronto at 10 a.m. Tuesday to begin serving an 18-month sentence handed down by Justice Fred Myers in October. That was for violating a court order to stop defaming Fakih — recently named to the Order of Canada — after repeatedly calling him a "terrorist" and "baby killer."

In the sentencing, Myers said "if Johnston does not surrender himself at the time and place stipulated, a warrant for his arrest will issue."

A lawyer for Fakih told CBC News Johnston failed to appear in court and that a warrant is now in effect for his arrest.

"It is clear that Mr. Johnston continues to hold himself above the rule of law even after being found in contempt and sentenced to a significant term of imprisonment for defying court orders," lawyer Niklas Holmberg told CBC News. 

Holmberg confirmed the Ontario warrant was issued at the same time as Johnston's sentence so that police could have the power to arrest and force compliance in the event Johnston didn't show up.

In his sentencing order, Myers said "Mr. Johnston's words are classic hate speech. They draw on tropes to assign negative characteristics based on ugly stereotypes, like branding Muslims as terrorists, for example."

In 2019, an Ontario judge ruled in favour of Fakih, awarding him $2.5 million in a lawsuit against Johnston for a series of defamatory videos and online posts made against him. The judge at the time said Johnston's remarks were a "loathsome example of hate speech at its worst."

CBC has reached out to Johnston as well as Ontario's Ministry of the Attorney General for comment.

Johnston was to begin his sentence after completing a separate 40-day intermittent sentence in Calgary, which he had been serving on weekends.

That sentence was imposed after Johnston was convicted in July of two counts of contempt after spending months inciting his followers to defy Alberta's public health measures.

But last month, Johnston failed to show up for his final weekend in jail. 

"The Calgary Police Service have made attempts to locate Johnston, however, he is currently being sought for failing to show up at the Calgary Remand Centre as part of his intermittent sentence," said a police spokesperson in a written statement.