Should public spaces and government facilities be reserved only for those espousing “correct” opinions that align with majority opinion or with the government’s beliefs?
The Superior Court of Quebec has answered with a resounding “non.”
Justice Alain Trudel has ordered Quebec’s tourism minister Caroline Proulx to pay $60,637 in general and punitive damages to Harvest Ministries International because she cancelled a contract to use government facilities.
In February 2023, Harvest Ministries had rented out the Centre des congrès in Quebec City for a “Faith, Freedom, Fire” religious conference scheduled for ten days from June 22 to July 2. This worship event sought to unite Canada’s two founding peoples, and was expecting to draw more than 1,200 participants per day.
On May 31, 2023, the CBC asked Tourism Minister Caroline Proulx how she felt about the Centre des congrès being rented by “an evangelical, anti-abortion group that denounces laws that undermine the word of God, the family, and sex.” Minister Proulx then looked at the Harvest Ministries website and was shocked, offended and outraged to discover the assertion that the mother’s womb is “the most dangerous place for a child in Canada. We must pray for the sanctity of life, and for abortion to end in Canada!”
Less than three weeks before the conference was to begin, after participants from across Canada had purchased their plane tickets to attend, Minister Proulx ordered the Centre des congrès to cancel the rental agreement for being “contrary to Quebec’s fundamental values.” The Minister explained that “we firmly believe in freedom of expression, but just as firmly in freedom of choice,” adding that “Nothing prevents them from holding the event elsewhere, in a private venue.”
The court ruled that Minister Proulx had abused her authority by arbitrarily cancelling the contract based on an ideological disagreement. The Quebec government unjustifiably violated freedom of expression, as protected by the Charter, by preventing Harvest Ministries from communicating its message in a large public gathering.
It has become common in Canada for politicians and bureaucrats to cancel signed contracts for political reasons. For example, in 2025, cities across Canada cancelled contracts for evangelical Christian worship services featuring American musician Sean Feucht. Why? Because of Mr. Feucht’s pro-Trump political views and his conservative Christian beliefs about abortion and homosexuality, and the expression of some public opposition to these beliefs.
The organizer of Mr. Feucht’s Canadian tour is now suing the City of Moncton for having suddenly cancelled a public Christian worship event just two days before it was scheduled to take place in July 2025. The City had approved the application in April. Over the following months, organizers continued working with City staff on site planning, insurance, washroom facilities, water access, and scheduling, all to facilitate a free worship event in a public place. By cancelling the event because of anticipated opposition, the City effectively yielded to a “heckler’s veto” instead of protecting Charter freedoms.
Repressive regimes reserve public spaces only for those who support the regime’s ideology. For example, neither Iran nor Saudi Arabia would allow Sean Feucht (or anyone else) to lead a Christian worship service in a public place. Theocrats, communists, fascists and national socialists seek to silence their opponents. Denying access to public parks and government-owned convention centres, by excluding people who espouse anti-government views, is an effective and practical tool for delegitimizing one’s opponents.
In stark contrast, public spaces in a free society can be used by all members of the public, not just those with views approved as “correct” by authorities or by majority opinion.
The arrogance of those who believe in “freedom of speech for me, but not for thee” will remain as a driving force behind cancel culture. This same arrogance is seen when one person (in this case Caroline Proulx), or the entire government, determines on behalf of society what its “fundamental values” are, and then seeks to silence opposing views. A court ordering Minister Proulx to pay $60,637 for arbitrarily abusing her authority to silence Canadians with a different opinion is a welcome rebuke against this arrogance.
John Carpay, BA, LLB, is President of the Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms.
