The 2023 “In Conversation” Series
Explore. Investigate. Inquire.
Explore complex legal and political issues with experts from the Justice Centre and beyond. The 2023 "In Conversation" series is an opportunity for Canadians of every perspective and background to come together in conversation about what is happening in our country.
Each event in the series lasts 75-minutes with a 45-minute presentation and a 30-minute Q&A. If you purchased a ticket but cannot attend the whole conversation, a recording of it will be sent to you.
Depuis la Révolution tranquille, la province de Québec est devenue de plus en plus hostile aux manifestations de croyances religieuses et d’appartenances confessionnelles. Des arrêts marquants de la Cour suprême concernant la « neutralité religieuse » de l'État et le programme obligatoire d'éthique et de culture religieuse au secondaire sont issues de dossiers québécois. Cette tendance a culminé récemment avec le projet de loi 21 sur la laïcité de l'État, qui interdit les symboles religieux visibles dans de larges pans de la fonction publique provinciale. La Cour supérieure du Québec a confirmé la validité de la plupart des articles de la Loi (maintenant en vigueur) en raison de la clause dérogatoire qui y est insérée ; l'affaire est maintenant devant la Cour d'appel.
The province of Québec has become increasingly hostile to displays of religious belief and affiliation. Major Supreme Court rulings respecting the "religious neutrality" (or “laicity”) of the State and mandatory ethics/religious culture programs in schools have reinforced this hostility. This trend culminated recently in Bill 21, which bans ostensible religious symbols from the provincial public service. In this conversation, we explore the legal and philosophical issues surrounding Bill 21 and other high-profile Court cases. We also explore Québec’s growing intolerance to Christianity, the central role of the Catholic church in the history of French Canada, and the impact of recent scandals and class-action lawsuits on public discourse today.
This conversation will empower you to understand the place of religious symbols in public spaces and the state of freedom of expression in Québec and beyond.
Direct democracy was born on the Pnyx Hill of Athens. The indirect (or representative) democracies with which we are most familiar were born in Rome and were developed further by (e.g.) major western powers. By now, “Democracy” is a commonplace idea, but a closer inspection of it raises unfamiliar questions. What is democracy? Why is democracy desirable? Why choose democracy over other methods of collective decision-making, e.g., oligarchy or dictatorship? What obligations do democracies generate for their members? When can democratic authority be reasonably questioned? How can we resolve any tensions between democratic authority and minority equality?
We explore these questions within and beyond the Canadian context. We investigate pressures on our democracy from Canadian governments and foreign powers, and we explore what the Charter says about democratic rights. This conversation will empower you to understand the “remarkable idea” of democracy and how that idea can disappear without invested citizens.
Frequently Asked Questions | Foire aux questions
A previous conversation: Contemporary Threats to Freedom of Expression in Canada
On December 6, 2022, the Justice Centre was “in conversation” with lawyer Samuel Bachand, who discussed Bills C-11 and C-36 and their potential impact on the enjoyment of free expression in Canada.

Get to know your host
"Inquiry and dialogue are the most powerful tools at our disposal for discovering the truth and for repairing the divisions in our country. This series is an opportunity for Canadians to inquire into the notions of democracy, freedom, and law. It is an opportunity for Canadians to learn from each other, to disagree with each other, and to imagine the future of our great country together."
Luke A. Neilson is the Education Programs Coordinator at the Justice Centre. He completed a Master of Arts in Philosophy at the University of Calgary in 2022 and addressed the social value of truth and inquiry in his thesis. As a complement to his work at the Justice Centre, he will be studying public policy analysis from the London School of Economics and Political Science in 2023.