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Bill C-230, the Protection of Freedom of Conscience Act, was a private member's bill introduced by MP Kelly Block on Nov. 22, 2021. Bill C-230 would have made it a criminal offence to coerce someone to participate in medical assistance in dying. This bill was debated and defeated in the House of Commons in October 2022. Although it didn’t pass, it raised an important discussion of conscience issues and concerns. Resources Sample letter to use in contacting your MP about these

Mrs. Kelly Block, MP House of Commons Ottawa, ON K1A 0A6 Dear Mrs. Block, Thank you for taking the initiative to introduce Bill C-230, the Protection of Freedom of Conscience Act. Bill C-230 clarifies that health care professionals must not be coerced into participating – either directly or indirectly - in medical assistance in dying. It offers much needed assurance that they will not be forced to choose between violating their conscience and losing their job. Doctors and

On October 29, 2024, the government announced plans to introduce legislation related to charities that offer pregnancy options counselling. In a news conference outlining their plans, ministers used language that disparaged and mischaracterized pregnancy care centres as deceptive. The EFC is concerned about the mischaracterization and targeting of pregnancy care centres and the politicization of charities. In a ministerial mandate letter released on December 16, 2021, the p

[Update: For more explanation and what you can do on this issue, see related EFC toolkit, released March 2022] The Hon. Chrystia Freeland Minister of Finance and Deputy Prime Minister The Hon. Diane Lebouthillier Minister of National Revenue November 30, 2021 Dear Ministers, We are writing to express our deep concern and ask for clarification. The Liberal Party platform,Forward For Everyone,stated that a re-elected Liberal government will “No longer provide charity status

UPDATE: The new bill to ban conversion therapy, Bill C-4, received royal assent Dec. 8 and passed into law January 7, 2022. It was rushed through both the House of Commons and Senate in just over a week, a process that usually takes months. The EFC is preparing an analysis of the bill’s impact. This bill is similar to the previous ban, proposed in former Bill C-6, which died at the election call. Bill C-4 extends beyond the previous ban by, among other changes, proposing a ba

This was a BC Human Rights Tribunal case to argue for the ability of religious groups to rent their facilities in a way that is consistent with their beliefs. The EFC was granted intervenor status, but later the participants opted out of the tribunal process. This case, formally known as Klassen on behalf of White Rock Pride Society v Star of the Sea Parish, involved a Roman Catholic parish that refused to rent out their meeting facility for a fundraising event by a group who

EFC President Bruce Clemenger was one of the signatories of a letter dated 20 May 2021 to Ontario Premier Doug Ford on restrictions placed on places of worship and part of an ongoing dialogue with the premier’s office. The letter was signed by Christian, Jewish, Sikh and Muslim leaders. Download the PDF.

The EFC's submission in the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario (CPSO) Consultation on Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID) policy shares our perspective and concerns about conscience protection and care of those who are vulnerable and recommends specific changes to the policy.Download the pdf of the EFC’s seven-page submission. Related resources Bill S-268: Protection of Freedom of Conscience Act Take action on conscience rights (main page)

Mrs. Kelly Block, MP House of Commons Ottawa, ON K1A 0A6 Dear Mrs. Block, Thank you for taking the initiative to introduce Bill C-268, the Protection of Freedom of Conscience Act. Bill C-268 clarifies that health care professionals must not be coerced into participating – either directly or indirectly - in medical assistance in dying. It offers much needed assurance that they will not be forced to choose between violating their conscience and losing their job. Doctors and o

Note: This bill has been succeeded by Bill C-230 This bill was intended to prevent medical professionals from being forced to participate in euthanasia or Medical Assistance in Dying. It would have created an offense in the Criminal Code making it illegal to compel a medical practitioner, nurse practitioner, pharmacist or other health care professional to take part, directly or indirectly, in the provision of medical assistance in dying. Also, it would have become illegal to

The EFC was an intervener in a Supreme Court of Canada case about whether ecclesiastical decisions about membership and discipline are outside of the scope of judicial review. Hearings started Dec. 9, 2020 and a ruling was announced May 21, 2021. The EFC co-intervened with the Catholic Civil Rights League. The EFC welcomed the ruling in a statement. The May 2021 decision overruled an Ontario Court of Appeal decision released in January 2020 which would have permitted courts t

A Calgary City Council committee held hearings on a proposed bylaw to ban conversion therapy in May 2020. The EFC’s written submission to the committee noted that “coercive and involuntary efforts to change sexual orientation have no place in our communities” but expressed concern that the bylaw’s definition of conversion therapy is so broadly worded that it infringes on freedom of expression. The EFC urged the committee to amend the definition of conversion therapy and to cl

The EFC was granted intervener status in the Lamb case in B.C., which involved attempts to expand access to assisted suicide and euthanasia. The case would have been argued before the Supreme Court of British Columbia. The EFC was intervening with the Christian Legal Fellowship. However, the Lamb case was adjourned in September 2019 because Julia Lamb has been approved for MAID (Medical Assistance in Dying). EFC-CLF Notice of Application to Intervene (Dec. 7, 2018) BC Civil L

The Ontario Court of Appeal released its decision May 15, 2019 in the forced referrals case, an appeal of the legal challenge to the Ontario requirement that doctors provide effective referrals for procedures they object to on grounds of conscience, such as euthanasia and assisted suicide. NEW! In fall 2019, the doctors and organizations who brought forward the legal challenge decided not to appeal the decision of the Ontario Appeal Court to protect against the potential of a

Alberta passed Bill 24: An Act to Support Gay-Straight Alliances, in November 2017. The bill required school principals to immediately grant permission for Gay-Straight Alliance/Queer-Straight Alliance clubs or activities “intended to promote a welcoming, caring, respectful and safe learning environment that respects diversity and fosters a sense of belonging” at the request of a student. However the province has passed new legislation that does not include the provisions fro

Here's the latest news including implications analysis by lawyer Geoffrey Trotter, podcast with TWU’s Bob Kuhn, EFC president’s blog and video, webinar discussion, news releases and more. Below this bulleted list is a series of buttons that allow viewing of additional material. Implications for the Evangelical Community of the Supreme Court Decision in the Trinity Western University Law School Case. By Geoffrey Trotter, co-counsel for the EFC in its interventions in the TWU l

On Nov. 2, 2017, justices at the Supreme Court announced their decision in the Ktunaxa case, which they heard back on Dec. 1, 2016. The EFC intervened in the case, and here you’ll find an issue summary, analysis and links to media releases and legal arguments. Issue Summary (From 2016) For the first time, the Supreme Court of Canada was set to determine the merits of an Indigenous religious freedom claim under the Canadian Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms. This historic c

EFC staff are pleased by the Supreme Court decision of May 31, 2018. The case concerns whether the court has the jurisdiction to review the membership decisions of religious communities and other voluntary associations. Randy Wall was a member of the Highwood Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Calgary, Alberta. He was disfellowshipped by the elders of his local congregation. Wall asked the court to undertake a judicial review of the elders’ decision to disfellowship him.

Case Summary A municipal by-law allowed city council meetings in Saguenay to begin with a voluntary prayer for members who wished to participate. Alain Simoneau, a resident of Saguenay at the time, filed a complaint with a human rights tribunal in 2007 over the prayer and the presence of religious symbols, such as a crucifix, at city hall. Simoneau argued that these religious expressions violated his freedom of conscience and religion. The Quebec human rights tribunal found i

The Evangelical Fellowship of Canada intervened before the Supreme Court of Canada in this religious freedom case March 24, 2014. A decision was announced March 19, 2015. The EFC intervened in the case to argue that government decision making must take into account the principles of life in a free and democratic society, including recognition of the religious freedom of individuals, religious communities and corporations / organizations established for a religious purpose. T