Our Topic: Covid-19: an Update on Defending Freedom in the Courts
Canadian governments responded to the Covid-19 virus by aggressively withdrawing the rights and freedoms of Canadians. The imposition of lockdowns including the closing of many businesses, schools, places of worship, and vaccine mandates were just some of the many actions that governments believed were justified in response to the pandemic.
In response to government mandates and lockdowns, many legal challenges have been launched in defence of charter rights. In the meantime, original assertions by governments to justify both vaccine mandates and lockdowns have turned out to be false. For example, it is now confirmed that vaccines do not prevent transmission nor were lockdowns effective with both having major negative health, social and economic impacts on society.
Given the above, what are the objectives and highlights of some of the key legal actions being undertaken? Why are these actions being pursued and what are their implications for Canadians? Is progress being made and what are the lessons learned so far given these cases? This conversation examines these important legal cases and reflects on whether our constitutional freedoms are in jeopardy with two of Canada’s most experienced freedom championing lawyers.
Our Guests:
John Carpay, lawyer and President and CEO of the Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms. The JCCF is a leading advocate in defence of Charter rights and freedoms in Canada. Its mission is to defend the constitutional freedoms of Canadians through litigation and education.
Leighton Grey, Senior Partner at Grey, Wowk, Spencer LLP and leading lawyer undertaking action against charter violations. Leighton is a Senior Fellow with the Frontier Centre and the host of the podcast Grey Matter. Mr. Grey is a Queen’s Counsel and has conducted hundreds of trials before Alberta Courts and is considered one of Alberta’s top criminal trial lawyers.
Your Host: David Leis
Date for release: Friday, February 24, 2023
