Women’s inequality is so commonplace, some forms are either not recognized as discrimination, or are not treated as a priority.

For example: women have had to fight for access to the basic healthcare that they (and girls and trans men) need, including birth control and abortion; police have failed to adequately protect Indigenous women and girls; and Muslim women and girls in Canada who choose to wear hijab or niqab to express their spirituality or identity have faced discriminatory laws.

Our Recent Cases and Reports

View our latest work and activity.

Bill 21

Bill 21 is a law which disproportionately impacts people who are already marginalized. New Quebec laws ban Canadians working as teachers, lawyers, police officers, and more from wearing religious symbols such as crosses, hijabs, turbans and yarmulkes. This not only affects people currently working in the public sector, but also the youth who aspire to those careers.
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Protecting Reproductive Rights 

A New Brunswick regulation restricts access to abortion unless done in approved hospitals, even though this restriction is not medically necessary or justified. The New Brunswick law has createD a serious issue for New Brunswick women, girls and trans people who need access to abortion, a basic form of health care.

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Bill 21

Bill 21 is a law which disproportionately impacts people who are already marginalized. New Quebec laws ban Canadians working as teachers, lawyers, police officers, and more from wearing religious symbols such as crosses, hijabs, turbans and yarmulkes. This not only affects people currently working in the public sector, but also the youth who aspire to those careers.

Reproductive Rights

Bill 21 is a law which disproportionately impacts people who are already marginalized. New Quebec laws ban Canadians working as teachers, lawyers, police officers, and more from wearing religious symbols such as crosses, hijabs, turbans and yarmulkes. This not only affects people currently working in the public sector, but also the youth who aspire to those careers.

Our Recent Work for Women's Rights

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NCCM AND CCLA LAUNCH JOINT CHALLENGE TO QUEBEC GOVERNMENT’S BAN ON PRAYERS IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS 

May 26, 2023
(Montreal, Quebec)—The National Council of Canadian Muslims (NCCM), the Canadian Civil Liberties Association (CCLA), and…

CCLA Submission on Anti-Black Racism at the Canadian Human Rights Commission

May 15, 2023
Harini Sivalingam (Director of Equality Program) delivered the following statement to the Senate Human Rights…

CCLA and LEAF Urge Repeal of Discriminatory Newmarket By-Law

September 1, 2022
CCLA and the Women’s Legal Education & Action Fund (LEAF) sent a letter to Newmarket’s…

CCLA Demands Immediate Repeal of Regulations Limiting Abortion Access in NB

July 28, 2022
In the wake of the US Supreme Court’s decision overturning Roe v. Wade, the CCLA…

CCLA Statement at New Brunswick Rally on Abortion, Reproductive Justice, and 2SGLBTQI+ Rights

July 9, 2022
Today's ruling from the Supreme Court of the United States is an appalling step back…

CCLA Reacts to Decision in Dobbs v Jackson Women’s Health Organization

June 24, 2022
Today's ruling from the Supreme Court of the United States is an appalling step back…

CCLA & NCCM file factum against Bill 21 in Quebec Court of Appeal

December 9, 2021
CCLA filed legal submissions against Bill 21 in the Quebec Court of Appeal. In this…

CCLA opposes Quebec’s Anti-Trans and Anti-Choice Bill 2 on Family Law

December 3, 2021
CCLA filed its submissions opposing Quebec Bill 2, on the grounds that the Bill outs…

Domestic violence for 27 years AND an 18 year jail term for Helen Naslund

June 21, 2021
Helen Naslund, a 56 year old grandmother, was sentenced to 18 years in jail for…

Massage Parlours in Newmarket

June 21, 2021
CCLA wrote a letter to the Town of Newmarket expressing our concerns with proposed amendments…

CCLA Wins First Round of Abortion Challenge In New Brunswick

June 1, 2021
The Canadian Civil Liberties Association has begun the process of taking New Brunswick to court…

CCLA’s Submissions on Bill 251

May 20, 2021
On May 13, 2021, the CCLA provided written submissions on Ontario’s Bill 251, the Combating…

CCLA Files For Public Interest Standing In New Brunswick Abortion Lawsuit

May 17, 2021
The Canadian Civil Liberties Association has begun the process of taking New Brunswick to court…

CCLA Remarks on Bill 21 Judgment by the Quebec Superior Court

April 20, 2021
Today is judgment day on Bill 21. A complex decision was handed down by the…

CCLA Partners on Report Urging Toronto to Detask Police

January 4, 2021
A new report released this morning is urging the City of Toronto to shift resources…

Whose Religious Symbols Can Shine???

December 21, 2020
In this season of darkness, the festivals of light bringing warmth and cheer may be…

CCLA Will Sue New Brunswick Over Abortion Restrictions

October 15, 2020
The Canadian Civil Liberties Association has begun the process of taking New Brunswick to court…

CCLA Statement of Support for Abortion Rights & LGBTQ+ Healthcare Now Protest

August 27, 2020
The role of the government is to protect the health of its citizens. It is…

2020 Quebec Superior Court

December 20, 2019
Suspending Bill 21 is an urgent matter. We were before the Quebec Court of Appeal…

Seeking to Appeal Interim Decision on Bill 21

July 23, 2019
CIVIL LIBERTIES GROUPS SEEK LEAVE TO APPEAL BILL 21 DECISION NCCM & CCLA file an…

Fighting Quebec’s Religious Symbol’s Ban – As it Unfolds

June 19, 2019
CCLA is currently challenging the discriminatory religious symbols ban, Bill 21 in Quebec alongside the…

CCLA and NCCM’s Application Regarding Quebec’s Religious Symbols Ban

June 17, 2019
Bill 21, An Act Respecting the Laicity of the State, passed in the Quebec National…

An Even Bigger Victory for Equality, Abortion, and the Rights of Vulnerable Patients

May 15, 2019
The Court of Appeal for Ontario has ruled in favour of vulnerable patients and their…

Access to Abortion, Dying with Dignity, and More Upheld by Ontario Court of Appeal

May 15, 2019
Doctors in Ontario will not be required to personally perform abortions, medical assistance in dying,…

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly of the Sex Ed Saga

February 28, 2019
It was a bad day for equality but a good day for teachers, when Ontario’s…

We Demand Equal Status for Women in The Indian Act

February 27, 2019
We need to get rid of sex discrimination in the Indian Act now! join us…

Battles begin over the repeal of Ontario’s 2015 sex-ed curriculum

January 23, 2019
In July of 2018, Education Minister Lisa Thompson announced that schools would revert to teaching the 1998…

Update – Changes To Ontario’s Sex-Ed Curriculum: CCLA Taking It To The Next Level

August 3, 2018
CCLA believes that the 2015 Ontario Sex Education curriculum should NOT be replaced with the…

CCLA & NCCM Successfully Obtain Renewed Stay Against Quebec’s Bill 62

June 29, 2018
The CCLA and the NCCM, two prominent civil liberties & advocacy organizations, have successfully obtained…

Bill 62 (Niqab Ban) Guidelines Cannot Save An Unconstitutional…

May 11, 2018
The Canadian Civil Liberties Association (CCLA) will challenge the Government of Nova Scotia’s exceptionally broad injunction limiting…

CCLA and NCCM Launch Legal Challenge Against Quebec’s Bill 62

November 7, 2017
(Montreal – November 7, 2017) – The Canadian Civil Liberties Association (CCLA) and the National…

Quebec Bill 62 Infringes on Freedom of Religion and Equality

October 17, 2017
The Canadian Civil Liberties Association (CCLA) will challenge the Government of Nova Scotia’s exceptionally broad injunction limiting…

International Women’s Day: Highlighting Issues of Indigenous Women in Prison System

March 8, 2017
On this International Women’s Day, the Canadian Civil Liberties Association recognizes the many women in…