Does the Charter apply to universities? The plot thickens with recent decision

Many university administrators and student leaders have been watching with interest as the legal dispute between anti-abortion activists and Carleton University winds it way through the courts (see here and here for background).  Specifically, the curiosity surrounds one issue: does the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms apply to universities?  If the Charter does apply, then political activists, not to mention anyone […]

Anti-abortion activists sue Carleton over arrest

The CBC reported recently that two of the anti-abortion activists arrested at Carleton University in the fall for engaging in an unauthorized protest on campus space have filed a lawsuit against the university. According to the students’ legal documents (CBC), the students allege that Carleton’s refusal to allow a particular anti-abortion display to be presented in a central area of campus […]

Does the Charter apply to universities?

University administrators raised their eyebrows this week to news of the decision of the Court of Queen’s Bench of Alberta in Pridgen v. University of Calgary (CanLII), specifically the declaration of the Honourable Madam Justice Strekaf that the university is “not a Charter-free zone”.  The case (which was previously discussed in this post) involves separate statements by University of Calgary […]