Founded in 2010, we defend the constitutional freedoms of Canadians through litigation and education. We are a non-partisan, registered national charity.
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Why ban recording at public council meetings?
Lawyers funded by the Justice Centre have warned Botwood, NL, to end its recording ban after local news publisher Elmo Hewlett was told he could not film.
Public meetings deserve public scrutiny. “The continued attempts by town councils to prohibit recording undermine local democracies. We hope that Botwood will listen to our warning and cease this unconstitutional behaviour and encourage transparency in what they do,” said constitutional lawyer Darren Leung.
Read the full story here:
jccf.ca/town-of-botwood-rece…
Do students’ Charter rights stop at the university gates?
Lawyers funded by the Justice Centre represent the UBC Free Speech Club and its members in a case arising from UBC’s cancellation of their 2019 event, “Understanding Antifa Violence,” citing campus safety concerns.
At stake is whether the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms applies to UBC’s actions and requires it to respect freedom of expression under section 2(b). The BC Court of Appeal restored the students’ Charter claims in June, allowing them to proceed. That central constitutional question remains unresolved.
The Court has now rejected UBC’s request to reopen its costs ruling.
“After a lot of wrangling, hopefully the parties will now be able to focus their energies on litigating the real issue: should UBC be subject to the Charter?” said constitutional lawyer Glenn Blackett, counsel for the students.
To learn more about this case, visit:
jccf.ca/court_cases/universi…
🚨This morning the House of Commons resumes debate on Bill C-34, the Safe Social Media Act.
The Bill would require age checks for Canadians to use social media and give Ottawa broad, vaguely defined powers over what we see and say online. The Justice Centre opposes it.
We'll be live-tweeting the debate. 🧵
Conservative MP William Stevenson asks how C-34 will tell free speech from hate speech, and "who is qualified to make those determinations."
Liberal MP Karim Bardeesy points to existing hate speech laws: "I believe the existing forms of legislation we have will be looked at closely by the Digital Safety Commission."
In other words, Canadians are being asked to trust a commission that doesn’t yet exist to draw the line between free speech and hate speech, without a clear answer about how it will do so.
John Carpay came with receipts. 🧾
When @ryanjespersen decided to fact-check him live on race-based sentencing in Canada, John was ready.
Watch their lively exchange on #RealTalk.
Edmonton: Justice Centre President John Carpay will discuss current constitutional cases and what Canadians can do to defend their freedoms tonight at 7:30 p.m. MT.
Bring your questions. Tickets are just $5.
jccf.ca/public-meetings/
Canada and the European Union meet in Montréal today. Digital cooperation is on the agenda; earlier talks covered online safety and digital identity. Any deal must protect Canadians’ privacy, freedom of expression, and control over our laws.
consilium.europa.eu/en/meeti…
Every victory for freedom begins with someone willing to stand up for their rights. From courtrooms to communities across Canada, the Justice Centre has been defending constitutional freedoms and holding governments accountable. This short video highlights some of our key successes so far in 2026. But there is still much work to be done.
These victories are possible because of people like you.
Watch, share, and help us continue protecting the rights and freedoms of Canadians.
Donate today: jccf.ca/donate/