Protecting Democratic Rights

Participating in a democracy in a meaningful way can take many different forms. The right to vote, to campaign, and to seek elected office are some of the rights that are crucial to protecting our democratic system. CCLA stands up for these rights in court and before lawmakers when they are threatened and advocates for their preservation and expansion.

Learn More About Our Work On Democratic Rights

Our Work Protecting Democratic Rights

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CCLA intervenes on parliamentary privilege and democracy

February 22, 2024
CCLA is intervening in a motion on Parliamentary privilege and when courts may review decisions…

Freedom of Expression, the Right to Protest, and Academic Freedom in a Time of Crisis

November 11, 2023
The Canadian Civil Liberties Association (CCLA) recognizes that in times of crisis, it is all…

CCLA Fighting for Transparency and Openness before the Supreme Court

April 12, 2023
The CCLA is intervening at the Supreme Court of Canada in Ontario v. Information and…

CCLA Reacts to Working Families Decision

March 6, 2023
OTTAWA — Cara Zwibel, Director of Fundamental Freedoms for the Canadian Civil Liberties Association (CCLA), reacted to…

CCLA Reaction to Public Order Emergency Commission

February 17, 2023
February 17, 2023 Cara Zwibel, Director of Fundamental Freedoms for the Canadian Civil Liberties Association…

CCLA Notches Legal Victory Against Government in Emergencies Act Case

February 14, 2023
February 14, 2023 Toronto, ON — The Canadian Civil Liberties Association (CCLA) is announcing a…

CCLA Closing Statement at Public Order Emergency Commission

November 25, 2022
OTTAWA — Cara Zwibel, Director of Fundamental Freedoms for the Canadian Civil Liberties Association (CCLA), made the…

CCLA reacts to Prime Minister Trudeau’s testimony at POEC

November 25, 2022
OTTAWA — Cara Zwibel, Director of Fundamental Freedoms for the Canadian Civil Liberties Association (CCLA), made the…

CCLA reacts to Minister Freeland’s testimony at POEC

November 24, 2022
OTTAWA — Cara Zwibel, Director of Fundamental Freedoms for the Canadian Civil Liberties Association (CCLA), made the…

CCLA reacts to Minister Lametti’s testimony at POEC

November 23, 2022
OTTAWA — Cara Zwibel, Director of Fundamental Freedoms for the Canadian Civil Liberties Association (CCLA),…

CCLA reacts to Minister Mendicino’s testimony at POEC

November 22, 2022
OTTAWA — Cara Zwibel, Director of Fundamental Freedoms for the Canadian Civil Liberties Association (CCLA), made the…

CCLA Reacts to CSIS’ Testimony at POEC

November 21, 2022
OTTAWA — Cara Zwibel, Director of Fundamental Freedoms for the Canadian Civil Liberties Association (CCLA), made the…

Emergency is Not in the Eye of the Beholder

November 18, 2022
OTTAWA — Cara Zwibel, Director of Fundamental Freedoms for the Canadian Civil Liberties Association (CCLA),…

Statement on the Repeal of Bill 28

November 14, 2022
TORONTO — Noa Mendelsohn Aviv, Executive Director and General Counsel of the Canadian Civil Liberties Association, made…

Repeal of Bill 28 – Huge Victory for all Who Fought for Rights and Freedoms in Ontario

November 7, 2022
TORONTO — Noa Mendelsohn Aviv, Executive Director of the Canadian Civil Liberties Association, made the…

Statement on Federal Court decision re: Ontario Premier/Deputy Premier summons to appear before Public Order Emergency Commission

November 7, 2022
The Federal Court’s decision confirms that the Public Order Emergency Commission had the legal authority…

Statement on the Passage of Bill 28

November 3, 2022
TORONTO — Noa Mendelsohn Aviv, Executive Director of the Canadian Civil Liberties Association, made the…

Statement on Notwithstanding Clause

October 31, 2022
OTTAWA — Noa Mendelsohn Aviv, Executive Director of the  Canadian Civil Liberties Association (CCLA), made the following…

Statement on CCLA vs Nova Scotia (Attorney General)

October 26, 2022
OTTAWA — Cara Zwibel, Cara Zwibel, Director of Fundamental Freedoms for the Canadian Civil Liberties Association (CCLA),…

Statement on Ford Seeking Judicial Review

October 24, 2022
OTTAWA — Cara Zwibel, Director of Fundamental Freedoms for the Canadian Civil Liberties Association (CCLA), made the…

Premier Ford Must Testify

October 20, 2022
OTTAWA — Cara Zwibel, Director of Fundamental Freedoms for the Canadian Civil Liberties Association (CCLA), made the…

Statement on Public Order Emergency Commission Proceedings of October 17-18

October 18, 2022
OTTAWA — Cara Zwibel, Director of Fundamental Freedoms for the Canadian Civil Liberties Association (CCLA), made the…

Statement on Public Order Emergency Commission Proceedings of October 14

October 14, 2022
OTTAWA — Cara Zwibel, Director of Fundamental Freedoms for the Canadian Civil Liberties Association (CCLA),…

Rouleau Warns of Tight Timelines, But Government Took Maximum Amount of Time to Appoint Commissioner

October 13, 2022
OTTAWA — The Canadian Civil Liberties Association (CCLA) made its opening statement at the Public Order Emergency…

Government Had Other Options Than The Emergencies Act

October 12, 2022
OTTAWA — The Government of Canada had options other than the emergencies act, the Canadian…

Federal Court Releases Decision on Cabinet Confidences Motion

September 1, 2022
Abby Deshman, Director of the Criminal Justice program for the Canadian Civil Liberties Association, made…

CCLA in Federal Court, Fighting to Hold Government Accountable for Unprecedented Emergencies Act Use

August 8, 2022
CCLA is in federal court today to protect meaningful judicial review of government action.  The…

CCLA Intervening at Ontario Court of Appeal on Importance of Political Expression and the Right to Vote

June 14, 2022
The CCLA continues to work to ensure that governments do not overreach in exercising their…

CCLA Reaction to the Revocation of the Declaration of Emergency

February 23, 2022
We welcome the government’s decision to revoke the proclamation of emergency – it is overdue.…

CCLA Reaction to Vote in the House

February 22, 2022
Abby Deshman, Director of Criminal Justice for the Canadian Civil Liberties Association made the following…

CCLA Will Fight Invocation of Emergencies Act in Court

February 17, 2022
The Canadian Civil Liberties Association (CCLA) announced today that it will pursue litigation to challenge…

Remarks From the Emergencies Act Press Release of February 2022

February 17, 2022
This week, the federal government invoked the Emergencies Act – an extreme law that has…

CCLA Statement on the Emergencies Act

February 15, 2022
The Emergencies Act can only be invoked, according to its own terms, when a situation…

CCLA disappointed to see Ontario election ad restrictions upheld

December 8, 2021
On December 3, 2021, the Ontario Superior Court of Justice upheld the constitutionality of recent…

CCLA makes its case against Ontario’s third party advertising restrictions

November 18, 2021
On November 22, 2021, the Ontario Superior Court will hear arguments in the Working Families…

CCLA Calls on Elections Ontario to Disclose All MPP Complaints

October 25, 2021
The Canadian Civil Liberties Association (CCLA) is calling on Elections Ontario to disclose how many…

SCC on Freedom of Expression – Accentuating the Negative

October 5, 2021
The Supreme Court of Canada rendered a decision in an important freedom of expression case…

CCLA Joins Fight Against Ontario’s Use of the Notwithstanding Clause

September 20, 2021
The Canadian Civil Liberties Association has been granted permission to intervene in a case in…

CCLA Makes Submissions to the Federal Review of the Access to Information Act

August 23, 2021
The CCLA believes that a strong access to information regime is crucial to a vibrant…

‘Cease And Desist’ – Liberal Party Must Halt Use Of Facial Fingerprinting

June 23, 2021
The Canadian Civil Liberties Association (CCLA) is calling on the Liberal Party of Canada to…

CCLA Will Seek Leave To Intervene

June 22, 2021
CCLA will be seeking to intervene in Working Families’ new challenge to the third party…

3rd Party Voices in 2018 Ontario Election

June 11, 2021
After the Ontario Superior Court struck down limitations on 3rd party election spending as unconstitutional,…

CCLA Statement on Ford’s Extraordinary Use of the Notwithstanding Clause

June 9, 2021
The notwithstanding clause was designed to be a democratic safety valve, not a brazen power…

Ontario Superior Court Strikes Down Third Party Spending Limits

June 8, 2021
The Canadian Civil Liberties Association (CCLA) is celebrating another decisive win in Ontario Superior Court.…

Know Your Rights for Ontarians

April 23, 2021
Knowing your rights is an important tool to help you recognize when your rights have…

Submissions Before Ontario Standing Committee on The Legislative Assembly re: Bill 254

March 30, 2021
When the Attorney General introduced these changes in the Assembly he framed them as putting…

Premier Legault—It’s Time To Drop The Curfew

March 23, 2021
The CCLA is speaking out against Premier Legault’s unjust Quebec curfew.

CCLA Before Supreme Court on Free Expression and Democracy

March 15, 2021
On Tuesday, March 16, lawyers for the CCLA will be appearing before the Supreme Court…

Proposed Election Finance Changes are Bad for Democracy

March 10, 2021
Beware Canadian governments bearing legal gifts promising better democracy in 2021. Canada, and Ontario in…

CCLA Says Governing by Press Release, Not by Law, is COVID Governance by Stealth

October 14, 2020
In a letter dated October 14, we wrote to the Attorney General of Ontario over…

Statement to Select Special Public Health Act Review Committee, Legislative Assembly of Alberta

August 27, 2020
Founded in 1964, the CCLA is a national, independent, non-profit, non-governmental organization dedicated to furthering…

Bill 195: Ontario’s Power Grab

July 20, 2020
The Ontario government is trying to end the legal state of emergency and simultaneously hold…

CCLA to Ontario MPPs: Resist the Premier’s Undemocratic Power Grab

July 10, 2020
The Canadian Civil Liberties Association (CCLA) will challenge the Government of Nova Scotia’s exceptionally broad injunction limiting…

Alberta’s Bill 1: Suppression of Freedom of Expression

July 8, 2020
The Canadian Civil Liberties Association (CCLA) will challenge the Government of Nova Scotia’s exceptionally broad injunction limiting…

How Long Can We Live in a State of Emergency?

June 19, 2020
Some provinces and territories took longer than others to declare a legal emergency, begging the…

A Crisis is a Terrible Time to Legislate

May 27, 2020
There are two kinds of emergency management legislation: those legislated after a crisis is over,…

Children and Parents Belong Together, Especially During a Pandemic

April 24, 2020
It has come to our attention that many Children’s Aid Societies have effectively cancelled all…

The Albertan Government Covers its Tracks and Grabs Power in Bill 10

April 14, 2020
The Albertan government has capitalised on the confusion of the coronavirus crisis to cover up past mistakes and to grant…

CCLA to Federal Attorney General and Federal Governor General

March 26, 2020
I am writing about the failure of Canada to disclose its Governor in Council orders…

Emergency Powers and Transparency

March 25, 2020
For civil libertarians, invoking emergency legislation is usually considered no-no. As a civil rights watchdog…

Balancing Public Health with the Rights of Canadians

March 19, 2020
CCLA speaks to various media outlets across the country to discuss the importance of upholding…

A Chilly Climate for Free Speech This Election Season

August 20, 2019
An election is a time when we should be encouraging debate and discussion from all…

CCLA to Ottawa: Call an SCC Reference

February 23, 2019
Of the many tools at the disposal of a government in times of profound uncertainty,…

A Victory For Democratic Rights At The Supreme Court

January 11, 2019
Today, the Supreme Court of Canada has released its long awaited decision in Frank v Canada, striking provisions…

Federal Government’s Election Reforms Fall Short

December 11, 2018
Yesterday, the government passed sweeping new legislation that will govern the 2019 federal election. Many…

Contact Your MPP to Stop the Misuse of the Notwithstanding Clause

September 12, 2018
Urge your MPP to vote against the Ontario government’s proposed usage of the notwithstanding clause.

CCLA Highlights Concerns With Bill C-76: Elections Modernization Act

June 8, 2018
CCLA’s Director of Fundamental Freedoms Cara Zwibel appeared before the House of Commons Standing Committee…

CCLA Fights to Protect The Right to Vote

March 21, 2018
Today, CCLA is appearing before the Supreme Court in Frank v Canada to defend the…