Freedom of speech is increasingly under attack from professional bodies seeking to regulate what their members can say. In most cases, this censorship would not be constitutional if it were imposed directly by legislation, but courts are too-often too deferential when the restrictions are imposed by arms of the state like professional regulators.
The Canadian Constitution Foundation is challenging the constitutionality of section 91 of the Canada Elections Act (CEA). The CCF is deeply concerned about the harm that this law…
The CCF is intervening at the Supreme Court of Canada in the important case of Fleming v. Ontario in order to provide unequivocal support for the right to freedom of expression, and in particular, the right of all Canadians to express controversial views regarding social issues in a peaceful manner in the public square.
On November 6, 2017, with the support of the Canadian Constitution Foundation (CCF), Prof. Ryan Alford of Lakehead University’s Bora Laskin Law Faculty, filed an application challenging the Law Society of Ontario’s new requirement that all lawyers and paralegals draft a personal Statement of Principles demonstrating their “personal valuing” of equality, diversity, and inclusion and…
In 2011, Ms. MacKinnon, a former Drumheller municipal councillor, was charged with the offence of “defamatory libel” under section 301 of the Criminal Code for colourful comments she posted on social media critical of town officials. What she didn’t know, and what the prosecutors and the court should have known, was that section 301 of…
