EFC in Supreme Court of Canada today

OTTAWA – The Evangelical Fellowship of Canada (EFC) will today present oral arguments before the Supreme Court of Canada in the Saskatchewan Human Rights Commission v. William Whatcott case. The EFC has status as an intervener in this case which involves the expression of religious comment in public policy dialogue.

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“Unless one can act in a non-harmful way in public dialogue, inspired by one’s religious beliefs, then one does not have religious freedom but only the freedom to believe,” explains Don Hutchinson, the EFC’s Vice-President and General Legal Counsel, who will be presenting the arguments for the EFC at the hearing. In 2001 and 2002, Mr. Whatcott distributed flyers in Saskatoon and Regina. Vehement in tone and language against homosexuality, the flyers offended some individuals who filed complaints with the Saskatchewan Human Rights Commission. At the tribunal, the flyers were found to contravene the Saskatchewan Human Rights Code and to promote hatred. Today’s hearing is the result of multiple appeals of that decision, most recently before the Saskatchewan Court of Appeal where the flyers were found to be constitutionally acceptable free expression. It is that decision that has been appealed by the Saskatchewan Human Rights Commission to the Supreme Court of Canada.

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“While we don’t necessarily condone the language Mr. Whatcott used, we do firmly believe that every Canadian should be and feel at liberty to share their beliefs and participate in the democratic process from a faith-inspired perspective,” continues Hutchinson. “Canadian courts have, to this point, been clear that religious freedom includes the right to speak about our beliefs; to share our beliefs with others; to practice our beliefs; and, to engage in public policy debate from a position that is informed by those beliefs. In a multicultural, multi-faith society, to shut out the expression and beliefs of one perspective would be to dictate who can and who cannot participate in peaceful public policy dialogue. It would, quite simply, be undemocratic.” *********** For more information, visit website. Interested members of the public may attend the hearing, which is scheduled to begin at 9:00 am at the Supreme Court of Canada in Ottawa, Ontario. Translation devices are normally available upon request. Don Hutchinson will be available for comment immediately after the hearing at the Supreme Court of Canada and throughout the course of the day as the court’s schedule permits.

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