CLF Legal Issues

Beginning in 1996, the Christian Legal Fellowship (CLF) has engaged in interventions consistent with its founding objects, and primarily in issues threatening sanctity of life, religious freedom, the traditional family, and such other issues that serve to challenge our beliefs as contained in the Bible and reflected in our Statement of Faith. This is similar to what has been the case with sister organizations in several other countries such as the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and South Africa (to name a few). Each has fellowships of Christian lawyers engaged in similar issues. For more information, see the international lawyer societies links herein.

By way of background, and in keeping with our objects and founding principles, we believe that as Christians, we are called to proclaim, teach, and live by God’s standards. In so doing, it is imperative that we communicate in a spirit of love and ascribe wholeheartedly to the principle that every individual is created in the image of God and therefore possesses a special dignity. While it is not unreasonable to expect some differences of opinion in such a large and demographically diverse organization as ours, we believe that a cornerstone of the Christian Legal Fellowship is to apply our individual and collective legal skills, knowledge and efforts in a way that best meets our commitment to integrate our Christian faith with the law.

Allies/Partners
CLF Allies are those who willingly share common values on one or more of the issues within CLF's mission. In the past, CLF has aligned itself with other Christian organizations in defending religious freedom and other constitutional issues and will continue to do so.

Milestones
CLF has intervened in the following cases which are found in more detail on our website:

• Vriend v. Alberta [1998] 1 S.C.R. 493 (Supreme Court of Canada). Intervention granted.

• Trinity Western University v. B.C. College of Teachers [2001] 1 S.C.R. 772 (Supreme Court of Canada).  Intervention granted.

• Ont. Human Rights Committee and Brillinger v. Brockie (2001-2) (Ontario Divisional Court) as part of a coalition called Canadian Religious Freedom Alliance. Intervention granted; Scott Brockie partly successful.

• Morgentaler v. New Brunswick (2004–5) as part of a coalition called Coalition for Life and Health (Court of Queen’s Bench of New Brunswick) – This was an intervention application at trial level to be added as a Party Intervenor so that evidence of harm against women could be introduced.  Intervention denied all the way to the SCC.

• Amselem Case, (2005) - CLF applied to the SCC but was denied the right to intervene.

• Kempling v. The British Columbia College of Teachers (2004-5) as part of a coalition called Canadian Religious Freedom Alliance. Intervention was granted at the Court of Appeal, however, the appeal was unsuccessful.  Mr. Kempling applied for leave to appeal to the Supreme Court of Canada, but was denied leave to appeal.

• Owens v. Saskatchewan (2005-6) as part of a coalition called Canadian Religious Freedom Alliance. Intervention granted – judgment favourable with broad protection for religious freedom.

• Three Parent Family Case  (2005-7) Christian Legal Fellowship joined with the Alliance for Marriage and Family to intervene in this Ontario Court of Appeal case out of London to protect the traditional definition of family. Leave to intervene granted, however, the appeal was unsuccessful.  Leave to appeal to the SCC was denied.

• Ake Green Case – Sweden  (2005-6) – Christian Legal Fellowship joined with other international organizations in submiting an Amici Curiae brief in support of Pastor Green's religious freedom and freedom of speech.  Intervention granted; Pastor Green’s acquittal and freedom of religion/speech was upheld by Sweden’s highest court.

• Spratt & Watson (Bubble Zone) Case (2006-7) - Christian Legal Fellowship as part of a coalition called Canadian Religious Freedom Alliance intervene before the B.C. Court of Appeal in support of the right to expression of one's religious beliefs. Leave to intervene granted.  The case is expected to be heard in late 2008.
  
  In addition, CLF has been involved in Parliamentary and Legislative Submissions/Consultations including:

• submission to the Justice Committee on Marriage and Same-Sex Unions (2002-3)
• Bill C-38 Civil Marriage Act (2005)
• Bill C-250 An Act to Amend the Criminal Code (Hate Propaganda- 2004)
• Religious/Faith based Arbitration (Sharia Law) 2004-5
• Euthanasia and Physician Assisted Suicide (2005)
• And an earlier submission regarding Bill 23 (Modernization of Benefits and Obligations Act 1999)
• Submissions regarding amendments toOntario’s Human Rights Code (2006)
• Submissions to the Ontario government’s review of Faith Based Arbitration (Sharia Law) (2005-6)
  

For more information on the above cases, see interventions page herein or contact us.

Funding
CLF’s intervention efforts have been funded from its members acting pro bono and because of the generous help of our members, supporters and friends.  In the past three years, we have expended increasingly more funds as litigation issues and costs increase. These costs are expected to escalate significantly given the cases and issues now in progress.

We are committed to continuing to stand for freedom of religion and those things we believe God established for the benefit of all people. We value and appreciate your prayers and your financial help. All donations to the CLF are tax-deductible, if made out to Christian Legal Fellowship and marked at the bottom of the cheque, "Legal Interventions."  Donations can also be made by credit card by phoning (519)641-8850 or by online donation or by writing or faxing us.