Supreme Court Refuses to Hear Appeal Challenging Manitoba’s COVID Restrictions on Churches

The Supreme Court of Canada has declined to hear the appeal challenging Manitoba’s lockdown restrictions filed by a handful of churches, a decision in which a Canadian constitutional rights group has expressed disappointment. The Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms (JCCF) described the case as “critically important,” because it could have served as a model for governments in accommodating charter-protected rights and freedoms when crafting public health measures. “Our clients are disappointed in the Supreme Court’s decision not to hear their appeal,” Attorney Allison Pejovic said in a press release following the court’s March 14 decision. “It was past time to have a conversation with Canada’s highest court about whether Charter-protected rights such as rights to worship and assemble ought to be prioritized over economic interests, such as ensuring that the Winnipeg Jets could practice indoors and that movie productions could continue.”...