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Federal government would join challenge of Quebec’s Bill 21 at Supreme Court

Published

2 years ago

May 25, 2022

The federal government will join a legal challenge to Quebec’s religious symbols law if it reaches the country’s highest court, Justice Minister David Lametti said Wednesday.

“When it arrives at the Supreme Court of Canada, it is by definition a national issue, and we will be there,” Lametti told reporters in Montreal.

Both the Quebec government and groups opposing the law have appealed an April 2021 Quebec Superior Court decision that upheld most of the law, while striking down provisions that related to English-language school boards and a ban on members of the provincial legislature wearing face coverings.

The case is currently before the Quebec Court of Appeal.

The law, commonly known as Bill 21, bans public sector workers who are deemed to be in positions of authority — including teachers, judges and police officers — from wearing religious symbols on the job.

Quebec Premier François Legault said the comments from the Trudeau government’s justice minister make no sense, given that the Court of Appeal has not ruled on the case.

“It’s a flagrant lack of respect for Quebecers by Justin Trudeau, because we know that the majority of Quebecers agree with Bill 21,” Legault told reporters in Quebec City.

Trudeau responded to Legault’s criticism by saying he is “a proud Quebecer” himself. He said the federal government will be “part of that discussion” in what he called an “almost inevitable” Supreme Court case examining Bill 21. “We will be there to defend the fundamental rights of all Canadians that have been suspended by this law,” the prime minister told reporters in Saskatoon.

Lametti said it’s too early to say what arguments the federal government would make before the Supreme Court, but he referred to concerns about Quebec’s use of the notwithstanding clause to shield the law from legal challenges.

Superior Court Justice Marc-Andre Blanchard found last year that the law has cruel and dehumanizing consequences for those who wear religious symbols, but he ruled that most of the bill must be allowed to stand due to the invocation of the notwithstanding clause.

Lametti made the comments as he addressed another Quebec law — the province’s reform of its French language charter — which also invokes the notwithstanding clause. Lametti said that while he personally opposes that law, Ottawa will decide whether to participate in an eventual court challenge based on how it is implemented.

“The notwithstanding clause was meant to be the last word in what is, in effect, a dialogue between the courts and legislatures,” he said. “It wasn’t meant to be the first word.” Use of the clause cuts off political and legal debate, an “unintended negative consequences in our political system,” he added.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 25, 2022.

Jacob Serebrin, The Canadian Press

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University of Waterloo stabber should face lengthy sentence: Crown

Published

2 hours ago

October 23, 2024

Anne Joseph

KITCHENER, Ont. – Prosecutors are arguing a man who stabbed a professor and two students in a University of Waterloo gender studies class last year should face a lengthy sentence because of the attack’s lasting impact on campus safety and security.

Federal prosecutor Althea Francis says a sentence in the upper range is appropriate not only because Geovanny Villalba-Aleman wanted to send a message about his views but also because he sought to make those with different beliefs feel unsafe.

The Crown has said it is seeking a sentence of 16 years for Villalba-Aleman, who pleaded guilty to four charges in the June 2023 campus attack.

The sentencing hearing for Villalba-Aleman began Monday and is expected to continue all week.

Federal prosecutors argued Tuesday that Villalba-Aleman’s statement to police, and a manifesto that was found on his phone, show his actions were motivated by ideology and meant to intimidate a segment of the population.

Villalba-Aleman pleaded guilty to two counts of aggravated assault, one count of assault with a weapon and one count of assault causing bodily harm.

A video of his statement to police was shown in court earlier in the sentencing hearing.

In the video, Villalba-Aleman told police he felt colleges and universities were imposing ideology and restricting academic freedom, and he wanted the attack to serve as a “wake-up call.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 23, 2024.

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Nova Scotia premier announces one point cut to HST, to 14 per cent, starting April 1

Published

2 hours ago

October 23, 2024

Anne Joseph

HALIFAX – Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston has announced a one percentage point cut to the harmonized sales tax starting April 1.

Houston made the announcement today as speculation mounts about a snap election call in the coming days.

The premier says the cut to the provincial portion of the tax would reduce it from 15 per cent to 14 per cent.

Houston says his government is making the move because people need more help with the cost of living.

A one percentage point reduction to the HST is expected to cost about $260.8 million next fiscal year.

The department says the HST brings in $2.7 billion or 17.1 per cent of provincial revenues, second only to personal income taxes.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 23, 2024.

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A look at what people are saying about the Bank of Canada’s rate decision

Published

3 hours ago

October 23, 2024

Anne Joseph

OTTAWA – The Bank of Canada cut its key policy interest rate by 50 basis points on Wednesday to bring it to 3.75 per cent. Here’s what people are saying about the decision:

“High inflation and interest rates have been a heavy burden for Canadians. With inflation now back to target and interest rates continuing to come down, families, businesses and communities should feel some relief.” — Tiff Macklem, Bank of Canada governor.

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“Activity in Canada’s housing market has been sluggish in many regions due to higher borrowing costs, but today’s more aggressive cut to lending rates could cause the tide to turn quickly. For those with variable rate mortgages – who will benefit from the rate drop immediately – or those with fast-approaching loan renewals, today’s announcement is welcome news indeed.” — Phil Soper, president and CEO of Royal LePage.

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“This won’t be the end of rate cuts. Even with the succession of policy cuts since June, rates are still way too high given the state of the economy. To bring rates into better balance, we have another 150 bps in cuts pencilled in through 2025. So while the pace of cuts going forward is now highly uncertain, the direction for rates is firmly downwards.” — James Orlando, director and senior economist at TD Bank.

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“The size of the December rate cut will depend on upcoming job and inflation data, but a 25 basis point cut remains our baseline.” — Tu Nguyen, economist with assurance, tax and consultancy firm RSM Canada.

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“Today’s outsized rate cut is mostly a response to the heavy-duty decline in headline inflation in the past few months. However, the underlying forecast and the Bank’s mild tone suggest that the future default moves will be 25 bp steps, unless growth and/or inflation surprise again to the downside.” — Douglas Porter, chief economist at Bank of Montreal.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 23, 2024.

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