MONTREAL (LifeSiteNews) – A Canadian pro-life group was in court for the past few days testifying before a judge in a constitutional challenge to a provincial law that bans protests in front of abortion clinics, arguing the ban is a violation of their rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.
Campaign Quebec-Vie, or the Quebec Life Coalition in English, finished its arguments on Thursday before Quebec Superior Court Judge Lysane Cree. According to Quebec Life Coalition and other plaintiffs, the 2016 Quebec law banning protests goes against Canada’s Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
The plaintiffs made the argument that the provincial law is not democratic and stifles debate in the public space, and as a result should be struck down as it is “inoperable and unconstitutional.”
Georges Buscemi, president of Quebec Life Coalition, said in a press release (translated to English) that the goal is to “eliminate the 50-metre buffer zone surrounding abortion centres in Quebec, areas that prevent us from providing support to pregnant women in need outside these centres.”
Buscemi said that he spoke for “almost two hours” in court alongside colleagues Brian Jenkins and Dr. Roseline Lebel-Caron, “longtime benefactors of our movement” who also testified.
Lawyers for the Quebec government have argued that the ban on pro-life protests in front of abortion clinics was put in place to protect women from “harassment.”
Thursday marked the final day in court, and a decision will not likely come until the new year.
Campaign Life Coalition (CLC) praised Quebec Life Coalition for taking its provincial government to court.
“Bravo to the pro-life group Campagne Québec-Vie @CQV_QLC for suing the government of Quebec for banning pro-life speech around abortion mills,” CLC director of communications Pete Baklinski wrote Thursday on X.
The 2016 Quebec law banning pro-life witnesses outside abortion mills is one of many enacted in Canada at the provincial level. Other provinces such as Ontario, Manitoba, and Alberta have laws in place that ban protests outside places where abortions are performed.