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STAND UP FOR YOUR RIGHTS

CCLA actively stands up to power by fighting against rights violations, abuse of police powers, inequality, and discrimination. We stand for freedom, equality, and a better future for all people in Canada.

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Our Work

Our Work Centres Around Our Five Core Areas

We believe in

EQUALITY

Equality – which includes equity, diversity, and inclusion – recognizes that every person is equal in value and worth, and each is deserving of fairness, dignity and rights.

We believe in

FUNDAMENTAL FREEDOMS

Fundamental Freedoms allow individuals and groups to express themselves, to believe and practice what they choose, and to exercise their right to vote.

We believe in

CRIMINAL JUSTICE

We work to ensure that constitutional rights are respected at every step of the criminal justice system, and that the extraordinary powers conferred to police and criminal courts are used proportionately, fairly, humanely, and only when absolutely necessary.

We believe in

PRIVACY

We bring a principled and rights-focused approach to assessing the impact of new technologies and surveillance, in areas ranging from policing methods to people’s public and private lives.

We Believe In

EDUCATION

CCLA & CCLET provide free workshops, seminars, and in-class sessions in schools, educational institutions, and faculties of education, educating citizens about their rights and freedoms.

What's Happening Right Now

FUNDAMENTAL FREEDOMSPRESS RELEASES
May 6, 2025

CCLA Slams Ontario’s Power Grab in Bill 5

MONTREAL —  Anaïs Bussières McNicoll, Director of Fundamental Freedoms at the Canadian Civil Liberties Association (CCLA), made the following statement: CCLA calls on Ontario’s legislature to reject Schedule 9 of Bill…
CCLA
Love27
Conditions of ConfinementCRIMINAL JUSTICEPRESS RELEASES
May 5, 2025

CCLA and 35 Civil Society Organizations Decry Provincial Inaction in Addressing Recommendations From Inquest Into Death of Soleiman Faqiri

TORONTO —  Soleiman Faqiri was a man with significant mental health conditions killed in provincial custody in 2016. An inquest in 2023 found that Mr. Faqiri’s death was a homicide and…
CCLA
Love27
EQUALITYFreedom of ReligionFUNDAMENTAL FREEDOMSRace, Religion & Ethnicity
May 5, 2025

Choisir l’inclusion et non l’assimilation: Lettre ouverte sur les projets de loi 84 et 94 du Québec

Choisir l’inclusion et non l’assimilation Anaïs Bussières McNicoll et Harini Sivalingam 5 mai 2025 La Commission de la culture et de l’éducation de l’Assemblée nationale a récemment terminé ses auditions…
CCLA
Love27
CRIMINAL JUSTICEEQUALITYPRESS RELEASESRacial Profiling
May 2, 2025

Leave to Appeal to SCC Granted

MONTREAL – Aaden Pearson, Staff Lawyer at the Canadian Civil Liberties Association released the following statement in reaction to the Supreme Court of Canada’s decision to grant leave to appeal…
CCLA
Love27

Live Updates

View all our latest updates, issues, briefs, and activities.

VIEW ALL LATEST UPDATES

In The News

CRIMINAL JUSTICEIN THE NEWSRight to Reasonable Bail
January 30, 2024

CTV News: More than 80% of inmates in Ontario jails last year were legally innocent, awaiting trial: data

“We at CCLA, like others, we care about public safety,” Rahim said."We just want to think about what we can do within our bail system to have it run effectively.”…
CCLA
Love13
Emergencies ActFreedom of AssociationFreedom of ExpressionIN THE NEWS
January 23, 2024

CBC News: Ottawa’s use of Emergencies Act against convoy protests was unreasonable, violated Charter, court rules

Noa Mendelsohn Aviv, executive director of the CCLA, said their win sets a clear and critical precedent for future governments. "Emergency is not in the eye of the beholder. Emergency…
CCLA
Love12
EQUALITYIN THE NEWSLGBTQ2S+Youth
October 17, 2023

The Guardian: Canada province uses constitutional override to advance pronoun legislation

“The government of Saskatchewan is threatening to shred a piece of the charter this Tuesday, and in so doing violate the rights, the freedom, the privacy, the equality and the…
CCLA
Love14
CRIMINAL JUSTICEIN THE NEWSReasonable Expectations of PrivacySearch & Seizure
August 11, 2023

CBC: Arctic Bay residents raise concerns after RCMP search mail

Shakir Rahim, a lawyer and director of the Canadian Civil Liberties Association's criminal justice program, said it raises "serious concerns." Section 8 of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms states…
CCLA
Love19

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CCLA does not receive government funding. We rely solely on the support of our donor community.

Together, we can uphold the rights and freedoms of all people living in Canada.

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