Three Christian Organizations seek court's permission to intervene in Ministerios Restauración judicial review case.
MONTREAL— In response to the $2,500 by-law infraction ticket issued against Ministerios Restauracion by the City of Montreal after the worship service of US artist Sean Feucht, TDF lawyers filed an application for judicial review with the Quebec Superior Court seeking to have the ticket quashed.
Three Christian organizations - Reseau Evangelique du Quebec, Canadian Centre for Christian Charities, and the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada - have now sought leave to intervene in the Church's application for judicial review. If the request for leave to intervene is granted, the Christian organizations expect to argue that the worship service was within the scope of the by-law, that music is a central pillar of worship, praise and evangelization, and that the City's conduct in sanctioning the Church is an infringement of the freedom of religion under the Quebec Charter and the Canadian Charter. Together, the Christian organizations claim to represent hundreds of Christian communities and organizations in Quebec and thousands across Canada, more than half of which are of Evangelical denominations.
Litigation director for TDF, Mark Joseph, said: "Obviously, when the state attempts to sanction a religious community for worshipping peacefully in its place of worship on the pretence that "singing does not comply with a municipal by-law," its actions will rightly be seen as an attack on the religious freedoms of all religious communities. We're hopeful that the leave to intervene will be granted so that these affected communities can assist in the defence of Ministerios Restauracion in particular and civil liberties in general."
The City of Montreal has not filed its response to the Application and no court date has been assigned.
About The Democracy Fund:
Founded in 2021, The Democracy Fund (TDF) is a Canadian charity dedicated to constitutional rights, advancing education and relieving poverty. TDF promotes constitutional rights through litigation and public education. TDF supports an access to justice initiative for Canadians whose civil liberties have been infringed by government lockdowns and other public policy responses to the pandemic.