Church Group Sues Quebec Government After Event Cancelled Over Anti‑Abortion Concerns

A provincial cabinet minister in Quebec is testifying in a civil case after cancelling an event in 2023 that she said she believed would promote an anti-abortion ideology.

Kelowna B.C.-based Harvest Ministries International is suing the province for $80,000 and is requesting a declaration from the Superior Court affirming that the cancellation infringed upon the Christian group’s Charter rights.

The court heard that during her tenure overseeing the tourism portfolio, MNA Caroline Proulx directed the provincially owned convention centre in Quebec City to cancel its booking of the “Faith, Fire, Freedom Rally” in 2023.

She told the court during her Feb. 23 testimony that she was shocked to see what she called anti-abortion “misinformation” on the group’s website.

The Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms (JCCF), which is representing the plaintiffs, says the central issue is whether a religious organization can be refused access to a publicly owned venue due to its beliefs.

JCCF also noted in a Feb. 20 statement that the conference program did not include any abortion-related content.

The Quebec government has said that the rights to freedom of religion and non-discrimination pertain exclusively to individuals and do not extend to legal entities.

The JCCF is arguing that this interpretation of the law diminishes the ability of individuals to collectively enjoy these freedoms through organizations.

“Freedom of association can never be defended if individuals cannot defend their rights through organizations,” lawyer Olivier Séguin said in the  statement. “Freedom of expression should not be confined to expressing ideas favored by the government.”

Harvest Ministries International founder and pastor Arthur Lucier told the court during testimony earlier that same day that the Quebec City gathering was a reconciliation event between the founding peoples of the Canadian federation.

Lucier said he was informed three weeks before the event that the rental agreement had been cancelled and said he approached 50 other venues without success, calling the situation “heartbreaking” for those who wanted to attend.

Faith, Fire, Freedom events are a series of evangelical Christian gatherings that are focused on fostering faith, spiritual revival, and in some cases, advocating for religious freedoms. The events have been sponsored by Harvest Ministries International and the Revival Reformation Alliance.

Superior Court Justice Alain Trudel is hearing the case at the Quebec City courthouse, where lawyers are set to make their final arguments on Feb. 24.

The Canadian Press contributed to this report.