'Unrepentant' harasser Kevin J. Johnston ordered to pay $650,000 to AHS worker

Notorious anti-vaxxer, one-time fugitive and disgraced mayoral candidate Kevin J. Johnston must pay an Alberta Health Services employee $650,000, a Calgary judge has ruled. 

For months, Johnston "spewed misinformation, conspiracy theories and hate" as he executed a "disturbing" and relentless campaign of defamation and harassment, wrote Court of King's Bench Justice Colin Feasby.

The main target of Johnston's harassment was AHS public health inspector Sarah Nunn.

Johnston's harassment became so intense, Calgary police advised Nunn that her children should not take public transit. He also posted photos of her family along with hateful comments. 

'Mr. Johnston is unrepentant'

But in his 40-page decision, Feasby also issued a permanent injunction because he doesn't believe the financial penalty will dissuade Johnston from continuing his harassment.

"Mr. Johnston is unrepentant, and I have no confidence that the damages award will function as any sort of disincentive to him continuing to defame and harass Ms. Nunn," wrote Feasby.

"Accordingly, I conclude that a permanent injunction is a just and appropriate remedy that is required to prevent Mr. Johnston from continuing to defame and harass Ms. Nunn."

• Former fugitive Kevin J. Johnston pleads guilty to fleeing to U.S. to avoid jail

Johnston repeatedly called Nunn a "Nazi" and a "terrorist" in his posts and voiced his intent "to make this woman's life miserable."

"I intend to destroy this woman's life," said Johnston in one of his online rants. 

"Mr. Johnston's statements could reasonably be interpreted as inciting his followers to violence against Ms. Nunn and her family," wrote the judge.

'Hate speech'

Feasby's decision is the latest in Johnston's years-long, cross-country involvement in criminal and civil courts. 

In 2019, an Ontario judge issued an injunction against Johnston and ordered him to pay $2.5 million in damages to Toronto restaurateur and philanthropist Mohamad Fakih for what the judge described as "hate speech at its worst."

But Johnston's hateful, racist comments continued in a series of videos and posts, repeatedly calling Fakih a "terrorist" and "baby killer."

Johnston's breach of the injunction resulted in a contempt conviction and an 18-month jail sentence, but he has never returned to Ontario to serve his time behind bars.

'Dangerous and out of control'

Johnston moved from Ontario to Alberta in the fall of 2021 to run for mayor in Calgary.

Angry with public health measures, Johnston threatened to arm himself and show up at the doors of AHS employees during his campaign for mayor. 

In the spring of 2021, Johnston spent the equivalent of seven weeks in jail for the crimes of harassing and threatening Nunn, plus causing a disturbance at a downtown Calgary shopping mall when he berated shop staff who demanded he wear a mask. 

In July of that year, Johnston was convicted on two counts of contempt after spending months inciting his followers to defy Alberta's public health measures.

Fugitive on the run

At the time, the sentencing judge described Johnston's behaviour as "dangerous and out of control."

He received a 40-day sentence to be served on weekends but failed to show up for his final four-day stint in January.

Johnston was arrested in Montana on Jan. 4, 2022, after crossing the border on foot in what he described as an attempt at claiming political asylum. 

At the time of his arrest, Johnston was wanted in Ontario and Alberta after failing to show up for jail sentences in both provinces.