Section 33 intervention in Religious Symbols case (Hak v Quebec)

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Section 33 intervention in Religious Symbols case (Hak v Quebec)

The CCF has been granted intervener status in Hak v Quebec, a landmark constitutional case set to be heard by the Supreme Court of Canada. The case challenges the constitutionality of Quebec’s Loi sur la laïcité de l’État (Bill 21), which bans certain public sector employees from wearing religious symbols while at work.

The CCF brought forward the question of whether courts can award damages under section 24(1) of the Charter in the event that judges are allowed to make moot declarations. In the March 2026 hearing, the CCF argued that doing so would undermine the purpose of the notwithstanding clause and upset the balance between courts and legislatures.

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