By Rebel News | Created at 2024-11-16 19:27:54 | Updated at 2024-11-16 22:02:34
2 hours ago
Oliver Seguin, a lawyer with the Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms (JCCF), recently discussed an upcoming court case defending religious freedom in Quebec. Seguin represents Claude Tremblay, a volunteer from the JASPE group, who received two fines totaling $900 from the city of Waterloo for door-to-door outreach to promote suicide prevention and mental health.
“This case isn’t about the fine amount,” Seguin stressed. “It’s about protecting the fundamental right to religious expression.” The JASPE group, composed of 70 volunteers, was established by a father who lost his son to suicide, prompting him to dedicate his life to mental health outreach and suicide prevention through religious door-to-door visits.
Seguin pointed to a 2003 Quebec Court of Appeal ruling that upheld the right to door-to-door religious outreach under Canada’s and Quebec’s charters on religious freedom and expression. “The right to knock on doors and share messages was upheld as part of religious freedom,” he explained.
However, Waterloo’s city prosecutor argued that Quebec’s 2019 Law on Secularism impacts this freedom. Seguin dismissed the claim, saying, “I don’t see the connection. The law on secularism emphasizes state neutrality but doesn’t restrict individuals from religious outreach.”
Looking forward, Seguin acknowledged that if they lose, they plan to appeal, viewing it as an opportunity to clarify the law’s limits. He cited confusion in Quebec about the secularism law, including a recent case where a National Assembly restaurant misinterpreted the law to deny a religious group’s reservation.
The trial is scheduled for November 18, where Seguin aims to reaffirm that Quebec’s secularism law does not override religious freedoms for individuals.
Alexandra Lavoie
Quebec based Journalist
Alexa graduated with a degree in biology from Laval University. Throughout her many travels, she has seen political instability as well as corruption. While she witnessed social disorder on a daily basis, she has always been a defender of society’s most vulnerable. She’s been around the world several times, and now joins Rebel News to shed light on today’s biggest stories.
