Episodes

  • Calgary’s Drag Queen Story Hour protest Ban will limit many other protests and is unconstitutional!

    Calgary’s Drag Queen Story Hour protest Ban will limit many other protests and is unconstitutional!
    Mar 29 2023
    On March 14, 2023, Calgary City Council passed a new bylaw that restricts protests around city libraries and city recreation facilities, like community and fitness centres. The new bylaw restricts specified types of protests, namely protests that express “objection or disapproval” towards ideas or actions related to “race, religious beliefs, colour, gender, gender identity, gender expression, physical disability, mental disability, age, ancestry, place of origin, marital status, source of income, family status or sexual orientation”. The bylaw prohibits protests of this nature on publicly accessible property within 100 metres of an entrance to a recreation facility or a library. While enacted as a response to protests against library's hosting "Drag Queen Story Hour", the bylaw will actually also limit many other protests, as Christine explains in this video.
    Show More Show Less
    10 mins
  • The Fight Over Trudeau’s Emergencies Act Isn’t Over

    The Fight Over Trudeau’s Emergencies Act Isn’t Over
    Feb 21 2023
    On February 17, the Public Order Emergency Commission #POEC issued it's final report. The report was very deferential to the Trudeau government and found that the use of the Emergencies Act was reasonable. This is not the final word on the legality of the Trudeau government's use of this extraordinary law. The Canadian Constitution Foundation has brought a judicial review of the use of the Emergencies Act, which will be heard in early April. In this video, Christine outlines some of the problems with the Rouleau report and explains the judicial review coming this April.
    Show More Show Less
    13 mins
  • Lawyer explains Jordan Peterson freedom of expression case against the College of Psychologists

    Lawyer explains Jordan Peterson freedom of expression case against the College of Psychologists
    Jan 19 2023
    Dr. Jordan Peterson is being disciplined by the College of Psychologists of Ontario for public comments he has made on social media and on podcasts. While controversial, these comments do not relate to the practice of psychology. Dr Peterson has applied for a judicial review challenging the constitutionality of the provisions of the College’s Code of Ethics and Professional Standards that were relied on to order this discipline. In this video, CCF lawyer Christine Van Geyn explains Dr. Peterson's case against the College of Psychologists.
    Show More Show Less
    13 mins
  • A victory for freedom of expression? An update on the Brampton sign bylaw

    A victory for freedom of expression? An update on the Brampton sign bylaw
    Jan 11 2023
    The Canadian Constitution Foundation is pleased that Brampton City Council has voted to conduct public consultations on proposed unconstitutional amendments to the city’s Sign By-law. On November 28, 2022, Council voted on a resolution to amend the Sign By-law to only permit the display of election posters in windows or in windows on doors, with the restriction applying to private residential property. The by-law has not yet been enacted. Following an announcement of planned litigation by the Canadian Constitution Foundation, Brampton City Council discussed the proposed by-law change during a closed session of the December 14 council meeting. The discussion was closed to the public because it dealt with litigation or potential litigation. Following the closed session, Brampton council passed a public motion directing staff to commence public consultations regarding the making of changes to the Sign By-law in relation to election signs and to report back to Council with recommendations.
    Show More Show Less
    6 mins
  • Why we are suing Brampton and Patrick Brown - their new unconstitutional bylaw

    Why we are suing Brampton and Patrick Brown - their new unconstitutional bylaw
    Dec 11 2022
    I really don't want to bring a constitutional challenge to a new bylaw recently voted on by Brampton city council and mayor Patrick Brown. But the bylaw is so obviously unconstitutional that we have to. We've written to Brampton council asking them to back down, but they voted on the bylaw anyway. The bylaw prohibits all election signs from being displayed outside, including on your own lawn. So if there is a federal election, residents of Brampton can't display election signs. This conflicts with a long line of cases and tramples on the right of Brampton voters to express their preferences when it matters most - during an election. We have retained a lawyer and we are working with some Brampton residents on this challenge.
    Show More Show Less
    17 mins
  • Emergencies Act Inquiry – Brenda Lucki Testifies – Summary of evidence

    Emergencies Act Inquiry – Brenda Lucki Testifies – Summary of evidence
    Nov 17 2022
    In this video the CCF's Litigation Director Christine Van Geyn summarizes some of the testimony from the Public Order Emergency Commission (Rouleau Commission) from November 15. On November 15, the Rouleau Commission heard from 2 witnesses. Brenda Luckie and Mike Duheme of the RCMP (there was a third witness later in the evening but this video does not summarize it).
    Show More Show Less
    15 mins
  • Examination of Ottawa (Former) Police Chief Sloly in Rouleau Commission – Summary

    Examination of Ottawa (Former) Police Chief Sloly in Rouleau Commission – Summary
    Oct 29 2022
    This is a short summary of the Oct 28 hearing for the Public Order Emergency Commission, also known as the Rouleau Commission. This is the long anticipated public inquiry into the federal government’s first ever invocation of the Emergencies Act in response to the 2022 Freedom Convoy.
    Show More Show Less
    16 mins
  • Supreme Court to hear case on whether Indigenous governments are subject to Charter scrutiny

    Supreme Court to hear case on whether Indigenous governments are subject to Charter scrutiny
    Oct 13 2022
    The Canadian Constitution Foundation (CCF) has been granted leave to intervene in a landmark case dealing with the scope of section 25 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, and how this provision’s guarantee of rights for Indigenous people interacts with the Charter. The full release can be read here.
    Show More Show Less
    6 mins