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35201

Loyola High School, et al. v. Attorney General of Quebec

(Quebec) (Civil) (By Leave)

Docket

Judgments on applications for leave to appeal are rendered by the Court, but are not necessarily unanimous.

Parties

Please note that in the case of closed files, the “Status” column reflects the status of the parties at the time of the proceedings. For more information about the proceedings and about the dates when the file was open, please consult the docket of the case in question.

Main parties

v.

Other parties

Counsel

Party: Loyola High School

Counsel
Mark Phillips
Jacques S. Darche
Borden Ladner Gervais LLP
1000, rue de la Gauchetière Ouest
Bureau 900
Montréal, Quebec
H3B 5H4
Telephone: (514) 954-3198
FAX: (514) 954-1905
Email: mphillips@blg.com
Agent
Nadia Effendi
Borden Ladner Gervais LLP
World Exchange Plaza
100 Queen Street, suite 1300
Ottawa, Ontario
K1P 1J9
Telephone: (613) 787-3562
FAX: (613) 230-8842
Email: neffendi@blg.com

Party: Zucchi, John

Counsel
Mark Phillips
Jacques S. Darche
Borden Ladner Gervais LLP
1000, rue de la Gauchetière Ouest
Bureau 900
Montréal, Quebec
H3B 5H4
Telephone: (514) 954-3198
FAX: (514) 954-1905
Email: mphillips@blg.com
Agent
Nadia Effendi
Borden Ladner Gervais LLP
World Exchange Plaza
100 Queen Street, suite 1300
Ottawa, Ontario
K1P 1J9
Telephone: (613) 787-3562
FAX: (613) 230-8842
Email: neffendi@blg.com

Party: Attorney General of Quebec

Counsel
Benoit Boucher
Caroline Renaud
Renée-Claude Ouellet
Dominique Legault
Amélie Pelletier-Desrosiers
Bernard, Roy & Associés
1, rue Notre-Dame Est
Bureau 8.00
Montréal, Quebec
H2Y 1B6
Telephone: (514) 393-2336 Ext: 51483
FAX: (514) 873-7074
Email: benoit.boucher@justice.gouv.qc.ca
Agent
Pierre Landry
Noël et Associés, s.e.n.c.r.l.
111, rue Champlain
Gatineau, Quebec
J8X 3R1
Telephone: (819) 503-2178
FAX: (819) 771-5397
Email: p.landry@noelassocies.com

Party: Canadian Council of Christian Charities

Counsel
Barry W. Bussey
Derek Ross
1-43 Howard Avenue
Elmira, Ontario
N3B 2C9
Telephone: (519) 669-5137
FAX: (519) 669-3291
Email: barry.bussey@cccc.org
Agent
Eugene Meehan, Q.C.
Supreme Advocacy LLP
100 - 340 Gilmour Street
Ottawa, Ontario
K2P 0R3
Telephone: (613) 695-8855 Ext: 101
FAX: (613) 695-8580
Email: emeehan@supremeadvocacy.ca

Party: Evangelical Fellowship of Canada

Counsel
Albertos Polizogopoulos
Don Hutchinson
Vincent Dagenais Gibson LLP
260 Dalhousie Street
Suite 400
Ottawa, Ontario
K1N 7E4
Telephone: (613) 552-6432
FAX: (613) 241-2599
Email: albertos@vdg.ca

Party: Christian Legal Fellowship

Counsel
Robert E. Reynolds
1980, Sherbrooke W, Suite 900
Montreal, Quebec
H3H 1E8
Telephone: (514) 939-4633
FAX: (514) 939-2786
Email: rreynoldslaw@gmail.com
Agent
Albertos Polizogopoulos
Vincent Dagenais Gibson LLP
260 Dalhousie Street
Suite 400
Ottawa, Ontario
K1N 7E4
Telephone: (613) 552-6432
FAX: (613) 241-2599
Email: albertos@vdg.ca

Party: World Sikh Organization of Canada

Counsel
Palbinder K. Shergill, Q.C.
Balpreet Singh Boparai
Shergill & Company
Suite 286-8128
128th street
Surrey, British Columbia
V3W 1R1
Telephone: (604) 597-8111
FAX: (604) 597-8133
Email: pkshergill@shergilllaw.com
Agent
Marie-France Major
Supreme Advocacy LLP
100- 340 Gilmour Street
Ottawa, Ontario
K2P 0R3
Telephone: (613) 695-8855 Ext: 102
FAX: (613) 695-8580
Email: mfmajor@supremeadvocacy.ca

Party: Association of Christians Educators and Schools Canada

Counsel
Ian C. Moes
André Schutten
Kuhn LLP
100 - 32160 South Fraser Way
Abbotsford, British Columbia
V2T 1W5
Telephone: (604) 864-8877
FAX: (604) 864-8867
Email: imoes@kuhnco.net
Agent
Marie-France Major
Supreme Advocacy LLP
100- 340 Gilmour Street
Ottawa, Ontario
K2P 0R3
Telephone: (613) 695-8855 Ext: 102
FAX: (613) 695-8580
Email: mfmajor@supremeadvocacy.ca

Party: Canadian Civil Liberties Association

Counsel
Guy Du Pont
Jean-Philippe Groleau
Léon H. Moubayed
Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP
26e étage
1501, avenue McGill College
Montréal, Quebec
H3A 3N9
Telephone: (514) 841-6406
FAX: (514) 841-6499
Email: gdupont@dwpv.com
Agent
Henry S. Brown, Q.C.
Gowling WLG (Canada) LLP
2600 - 160 Elgin St
P.O. Box 466, Stn "D"
Ottawa, Ontario
K1P 1C3
Telephone: (613) 233-1781
FAX: (613) 788-3433
Email: henry.brown@gowlings.com

Party: Catholic Civil Rights League, Association des parents catholiques du Québec, Faith and Freedom Alliance and Association de la communauté copte orthodoxe du grand Montréal

Counsel
Robert W. Staley
Ranjan K. Agarwal
Jack R. Maslen
Bennett Jones LLP
3400 One First Canadian Place
P.O. Box 130
Toronto, Ontario
M5X 1A4
Telephone: (416) 863-1200
FAX: (416) 863-1716
Email: staleyr@bennettjones.com
Agent
Robyn Ryan Bell
Bennett Jones LLP
World Exchange Plaza
1900 - 45 O'Connor Street
Ottawa, Ontario
K1P 1A4
Telephone: (613) 683-2307
FAX: (613) 683-2323
Email: ryanbellr@bennettjones.com

Party: Faith, Fealty and Creed Society

Counsel
Blake Bromley
Kathryn Chan
Thomas Slade
Eugene Meehan, Q.C.
Benefic Law Corporation
1250 - 1500 West Georgia Street
P.O. Box 62
Vancouver, British Columbia
V6G 2Z6
Telephone: (604) 683-7006
FAX: (604) 683-5676
Email: blake@beneficgroup.com
Agent
Marie-France Major
Supreme Advocacy LLP
100- 340 Gilmour Street
Ottawa, Ontario
K2P 0R3
Telephone: (613) 695-8855 Ext: 102
FAX: (613) 695-8580
Email: mfmajor@supremeadvocacy.ca

Party: Home School Legal Defence Association of Canada

Counsel
Jean-Yves Côté
Paul D. Farris
Côté Avocats Inc.
7096 rue des Écores
Montréal, Quebec
H2E 2V8
Telephone: (450) 922-1271
FAX: (450) 649-7619
Email: jyc@illico.ca
Agent
Eugene Meehan, Q.C.
Supreme Advocacy LLP
100 - 340 Gilmour Street
Ottawa, Ontario
K2P 0R3
Telephone: (613) 695-8855 Ext: 101
FAX: (613) 695-8580
Email: emeehan@supremeadvocacy.ca

Party: Seventh-day Adventist Church in Canada and Seventh-day Adventist Church - Quebec Conference

Counsel
Gerald D. Chipeur, Q.C.
Sean Kelly
Grace Mackintosh
Miller Thomson LLP
3000, 700- 9th Avenue SW
Calgary, Alberta
T2P 3V4
Telephone: (403) 298-2434
FAX: (403) 262-0007
Email: gchipeur@millerthomson.com
Agent
Eugene Meehan, Q.C.
Supreme Advocacy LLP
100 - 340 Gilmour Street
Ottawa, Ontario
K2P 0R3
Telephone: (613) 695-8855 Ext: 101
FAX: (613) 695-8580
Email: emeehan@supremeadvocacy.ca

Party: Corporation Archiépiscopale Catholique Romaine de Montréal and l'Archevêque Catholique Romain de Montréal

Counsel
Milton James Fernandes
Sergio G. Famularo
Famularo Fernandes Levinson Inc.
1962 Notre-Dame Street West
Montréal, Quebec
H3J 1M8
Telephone: (514) 842-0606
FAX: (514) 842-0660
Email: fernandes@ffl-law.com
Agent
Nadia Effendi
Borden Ladner Gervais LLP
World Exchange Plaza
100 Queen Street, suite 1300
Ottawa, Ontario
K1P 1J9
Telephone: (613) 787-3562
FAX: (613) 230-8842
Email: neffendi@blg.com

Summary

Keywords

None.

Summary

Case summaries are prepared by the Office of the Registrar of the Supreme Court of Canada (Law Branch). Please note that summaries are not provided to the Judges of the Court. They are placed on the Court file and website for information purposes only.

Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms - Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms of Québec - Freedom of conscience and religion - Mandatory ethics and religious culture (“ERC”) program - Catholic school invoking freedom of conscience and religion in support of request for exemption to teach ERC subject using its own program - Request for exemption denied by Minister - Whether Appellant, as a religious educational institution, enjoys fundamental right of freedom of religion entrenched in s. 2a) of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and s. 3 of the Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms of Québec - Applicable standard of review - Whether Minister’s decision was defensible on applicable standard of review.

In 2008, the ERC program became mandatory in Quebec schools, replacing Catholic and Protestant programs of religious and moral instruction. Loyola High School (the “Appellant”) is a religious educational institution. It requested an exemption from the ERC program in order to continue to offer its own program pursuant to section 22 of the Regulation respecting the application of the Act respecting private education (R.R.Q., c. E-9.1, r. 1). An exemption is available where the institution dispenses programs of studies which the Minister of Education, Recreation and Sports (the “Minister”) judges equivalent. The Minister denied the exemption on the basis that the Appellant’s program was not equivalent to the ERC program, inter alia on grounds that it is faith-based as opposed to cultural in its approach. The Appellant, along with co-Appellant John Zucchi in his capacity as tutor to his son, a student at the school at issue, brought a motion for judicial review seeking to quash the Minister’s decision and requesting an exemption from the ERC program as well as the right to teach its own program.

Lower court rulings

June 18, 2010
Superior Court of Quebec

500-17-045278-085

Minister’s decision quashed; Applicant declared exempt from using the ERC program established by the Minister; and Applicant authorized to teach ERC subject using its own program.
December 4, 2012
Court of Appeal of Quebec (Montréal)

2012 QCCA 2139, 500-09-020854-105

Appeal allowed and Minister’s decision confirmed.

Memorandums of argument on application for leave to appeal

The memorandums of argument on an application for leave to appeal will be posted here 30 days after leave to appeal has been granted unless they contain personal information, information that is subject to a publication ban, or any other information that is not part of the public record. You may also obtain copies of the memorandum by filing out the Request for Court records form or by contacting the Court’s Records Centre either by email at records-dossiers@scc-csc.ca or by telephone at 613‑996‑7933 or at 1‑888‑551‑1185.

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Downloadable PDFs

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Factums on appeal

The factums of the appellant, the respondent and the intervener will be posted here at least 2 weeks before the hearing unless they contain personal information, information that is subject to a publication ban, or any other information that is not part of the public record. You may also obtain copies of factums by filling out the Request for Court records form or by contacting the Court’s Records Centre either by email at records-dossiers@scc-csc.ca or by telephone at 613‑996‑7933 or at 1‑888‑551‑1185.

If you have questions about a factum or want permission to use a factum, please contact the author of the factum directly. Their contact information appears on the first page of each factum.

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Docket

Judgments on applications for leave to appeal are rendered by the Court, but are not necessarily unanimous.

List of proceedings
Date Proceeding Filed By
(if applicable)
2015-03-24 Appeal closed
2015-03-20 Formal judgment sent to the registrar of the court of appeal and all parties
2015-03-20 Judgment on appeal and notice of deposit of judgment sent to all parties
2015-03-19 Judgment on the appeal rendered, CJ LeB Abe Ro Cro Mo Ka, The appeal from the judgment of the Court of Appeal of Quebec (Montréal), Number 500-09-020854-105, 2012 QCCA 2139, dated December 4, 2012, heard on March 24, 2014, is allowed, the Minister’s decision is set aside and the matter is remitted to the Minister for reconsideration, with no order as to costs.
Allowed, no order as to costs
2014-08-22 Media lock-up request accepted
2014-08-22 Media lock-up consent form received from, Appellants, Loyola High School, et al. Loyola High School
2014-08-18 Media lock-up consent form received from Seventh-day Adventist Church in Canada and Seventh-day Adventist Church - Quebec Conference
2014-08-14 Media lock-up consent form received from Canadian Council of Christian Charities
2014-08-12 Media lock-up consent form received from, Respondent, Attorney General of Quebec Attorney General of Quebec
2014-08-07 Media lock-up letter, consent form and undertaking sample sent to all parties
2014-06-13 Media lock-up requested or proposed
2014-04-08 Transcript received, (153 pages)
2014-03-24 Judgment reserved OR rendered with reasons to follow
2014-03-24 Intervener's condensed book, (Book Form), Submitted in Court (14 copies) Seventh-day Adventist Church in Canada and Seventh-day Adventist Church - Quebec Conference
2014-03-24 Intervener's condensed book, (Book Form), Submitted in Court (14 copies) World Sikh Organization of Canada
2014-03-24 Respondent's condensed book, (Book Form), Submitted in Court (14 copies) Attorney General of Quebec
2014-03-24 Appellant's condensed book, (Book Form), Submitted in Court (14 copies) Loyola High School
2014-03-24 Hearing of the appeal, 2014-03-24, CJ LeB Abe Ro Cro Mo Ka
Judgment reserved
2014-03-18 Notice of appearance, Gerald Chipeur and Grace Mackintosh will be present at the hearing. Seventh-day Adventist Church in Canada and Seventh-day Adventist Church - Quebec Conference
2014-03-18 Correspondence received from, 3 reserved seats requested Seventh-day Adventist Church in Canada and Seventh-day Adventist Church - Quebec Conference
2014-03-18 Notice of appearance, Blake Bromley will be present at the hearing. Faith, Fealty and Creed Society
2014-03-18 Notice of appearance, Jean-Yves Côté and Paul D. Farris will be present at the hearing. Home School Legal Defence Association of Canada
2014-03-18 Notice of appearance, Ranjan Agarwal and Jack Maslen will be present at the hearing. Catholic Civil Rights League, Association des parents catholiques du Québec, Faith and Freedom Alliance and Association de la communauté copte orthodoxe du grand Montréal
2014-03-18 Correspondence received from, 5 reserved seats requested Attorney General of Quebec
2014-03-17 Order by, LeB, FURTHER TO THE ORDER dated January 16, 2014, granting leave to intervene to the Canadian Council of Christian Charities, the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada, the Christian Legal Fellowship, the World Sikh Organization of Canada, the Association of Christians Educators and Schools Canada, the Canadian Civil Liberties Association, the Catholic Civil Rights League, Association des parents catholiques du Québec, Faith and Freedom Alliance and Association de la communauté copte orthodoxe du grand Montréal, the Faith, Fealty and Creed Society, the Home School Legal Defence Association of Canada, the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Canada and Seventh-day Adventist Church - Quebec Conference and the Corporation Archiépiscopale Catholique Romaine de Montréal and l'Archevêque Catholique Romain de Montréal;
IT IS HEREBY FURTHER ORDERED THAT:
1. The interveners Evangelical Fellowship of Canada, the Christian Legal Fellowship, the World Sikh Organization of Canada, the Canadian Civil Liberties Association, the Catholic Civil Rights League, Association des parents catholiques du Québec, Faith and Freedom Alliance and Association de la communauté copte orthodoxe du grand Montréal, the Seventh-Day Adventist Church in Canada and Seventh-day Adventist Church – Quebec Conference and the Corporation Archiépiscopale Catholique Romaine de Montréal and l'Archevêque Catholique Romain de Montréal are each granted permission to present oral argument not exceeding 10 minutes at the hearing of the appeal;
2. The factums of the Canadian Council of Christian Charities, the Association of Christians Educators and Schools Canada, the Faith, Fealty and Creed Society and the Home School Legal Defence Association of Canada will be considered without the need for oral argument.
Allowed in part
2014-03-14 Notice of appearance, Palbinder Shergill and Balpreet Singh Boparai will be present at the hearing. World Sikh Organization of Canada
2014-03-11 Notice of appearance, Barry Bussey and Derek Ross will be present at the hearing. Canadian Council of Christian Charities
2014-03-11 Correspondence received from, 2 reserved seats requested Canadian Civil Liberties Association
2014-03-11 Notice of appearance, Ian Moes and André Schutten will be present at the hearing. Association of Christians Educators and Schools Canada
2014-03-11 Notice of appearance, Guy Du Pont, Jean-Philippe Groleau and Léon Moubayed will be present at the hearing. Canadian Civil Liberties Association
2014-03-11 Correspondence received from, 6 reserved seats requested Catholic Civil Rights League, Association des parents catholiques du Québec, Faith and Freedom Alliance and Association de la communauté copte orthodoxe du grand Montréal
2014-03-10 Intervener's book of authorities, Completed on: 2014-03-10 Home School Legal Defence Association of Canada
2014-03-10 Intervener's factum, Filed in both official languages, Completed on: 2014-03-10 Home School Legal Defence Association of Canada
2014-03-10 Intervener's book of authorities, Completed on: 2014-03-10 Faith, Fealty and Creed Society
2014-03-10 Intervener's factum, Completed on: 2014-03-10 Faith, Fealty and Creed Society
2014-03-10 Intervener's book of authorities, Completed on: 2014-03-10 Seventh-day Adventist Church in Canada and Seventh-day Adventist Church - Quebec Conference
2014-03-10 Intervener's factum, Completed on: 2014-03-10 Seventh-day Adventist Church in Canada and Seventh-day Adventist Church - Quebec Conference
2014-03-10 Intervener's book of authorities, Completed on: 2014-03-10 World Sikh Organization of Canada
2014-03-10 Intervener's factum, Completed on: 2014-03-10 World Sikh Organization of Canada
2014-03-10 Intervener's book of authorities, Completed on: 2014-03-10 Canadian Council of Christian Charities
2014-03-10 Intervener's factum, Completed on: 2014-03-10 Canadian Council of Christian Charities
2014-03-10 Correspondence received from, Albertos Polizogopoulos dated 2014-03-10. Re: Replace page 10 of the factum (Sent to the Court on 2014-03-11) Christian Legal Fellowship
2014-03-10 Intervener's book of authorities, Completed on: 2014-03-10 Corporation Archiépiscopale Catholique Romaine de Montréal and l'Archevêque Catholique Romain de Montréal
2014-03-10 Intervener's factum, Completed on: 2014-03-10 Corporation Archiépiscopale Catholique Romaine de Montréal and l'Archevêque Catholique Romain de Montréal
2014-03-10 Intervener's book of authorities, (2 volumes), Completed on: 2014-03-10 Canadian Civil Liberties Association
2014-03-10 Intervener's factum, Completed on: 2014-03-10 Canadian Civil Liberties Association
2014-03-10 Intervener's book of authorities, Completed on: 2014-03-10 Catholic Civil Rights League, Association des parents catholiques du Québec, Faith and Freedom Alliance and Association de la communauté copte orthodoxe du grand Montréal
2014-03-10 Intervener's factum, Completed on: 2014-03-10, (Electronic version filed on 2014-03-10) Catholic Civil Rights League, Association des parents catholiques du Québec, Faith and Freedom Alliance and Association de la communauté copte orthodoxe du grand Montréal
2014-03-07 Notice of appearance, Mark Phillips and Jacques Darche will be present at the hearing. Loyola High School
2014-03-06 Intervener's book of authorities, Completed on: 2014-03-06 Association of Christians Educators and Schools Canada
2014-03-06 Intervener's factum, Completed on: 2014-03-06 Association of Christians Educators and Schools Canada
2014-03-06 Correspondence received from, 4 reserved seats requested Christian Legal Fellowship
2014-03-06 Notice of appearance, Robert Reynolds and Ruth Ross will be present at the hearing. Christian Legal Fellowship
2014-03-05 Intervener's book of authorities, Completed on: 2014-03-05 Evangelical Fellowship of Canada
2014-03-05 Intervener's factum, Completed on: 2014-03-05 Evangelical Fellowship of Canada
2014-03-05 Intervener's book of authorities, Completed on: 2014-03-05 Christian Legal Fellowship
2014-03-05 Intervener's factum, Page 10 was replaced on 2014-03-10 , Completed on: 2014-03-05 Christian Legal Fellowship
2014-03-05 Correspondence received from, 5 reserved seats requested Evangelical Fellowship of Canada
2014-03-05 Notice of appearance, Albertos Polizogopoulos and Don Hutchinson will be present at the hearing. Evangelical Fellowship of Canada
2014-03-04 Correspondence received from, 10 reserved seats requested Loyola High School
2014-03-03 Correspondence received from, Marie-France Major dated 2014-03-03 re: request for 4 reserved seats Association of Christians Educators and Schools Canada
2014-03-03 Notice of appearance, Milton James Fernandes and Sergio G. Famularo will be present, 4 seats requested Corporation Archiépiscopale Catholique Romaine de Montréal and l'Archevêque Catholique Romain de Montréal
2014-02-25 Notice of appearance, Dominique Legault, Benoit Boucher, Amélie Pelletier-Desrosiers and Caroline Renaud will be present at the hearing. Attorney General of Quebec
2014-01-27 Appeal perfected for hearing
2014-01-27 Order on motion to extend time
2014-01-27 Decision on motion to extend time, to serve and file the respondent's documents to January 20, 2014 and to present oral argument at the hearing of the appeal, Abe
Granted
2014-01-27 Submission of motion to extend time, Abe
2014-01-23 Response to motion to extend time, from Léon H. Moubayed dated 2014-01-23, Completed on: 2014-01-23 Canadian Civil Liberties Association
2014-01-23 Response to motion to extend time, email from Christina Christie dated 2014-01-23, Completed on: 2014-01-23 Loyola High School
2014-01-23 Motion to extend time, To file and serve the Respondent's documents, Completed on: 2014-01-23, (Printed version filed on 2014-01-24) Attorney General of Quebec
2014-01-20 Certificate of counsel (attesting to record), (Electronic version filed on 2014-01-21) Attorney General of Quebec
2014-01-20 Respondent's book of authorities, (3 volumes), Completed on: 2014-01-20 Attorney General of Quebec
2014-01-20 Respondent's record, (11 volumes), Completed on: 2014-01-20 Attorney General of Quebec
2014-01-20 Respondent's factum, Motion for extension of time requested - Rec'd on 2014-01-23, Completed on: 2014-01-23 Attorney General of Quebec
2014-01-16 Order on motion for leave to intervene, (by LEBEL J.)
2014-01-16 Decision on the motion for leave to intervene, LeB, UPON APPLICATION by the Canadian Council of Christian Charities, the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada, the Christian Legal Fellowship, the World Sikh Organization of Canada, the Association of Christians Educators and Schools Canada, the Canadian Civil Liberties Association, the Catholic Civil Rights League, the Association des parents catholiques du Québec, the Faith and Freedom Alliance and the Association de la communauté copte orthodoxe du grand Montréal, the Faith, Fealty and Creed Society, the Home School Legal Defence Association of Canada, the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Canada and the Seventh-day Adventist Church - Quebec Conference and the Corporation Archiépiscopale Catholique Romaine de Montréal and l'Archevêque Catholique Romain de Montréal for leave to intervene in the above appeal;
AND THE MATERIAL FILED having been read;
IT IS HEREBY ORDERED THAT:
The motions for leave to intervene of the Canadian Council of Christian Charities, the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada, the Christian Legal Fellowship, the World Sikh Organization of Canada, the Association of Christians Educators and Schools Canada, the Canadian Civil Liberties Association, the Catholic Civil Rights League, the Association des parents catholiques du Québec, the Faith and Freedom Alliance and the Association de la communauté copte orthodoxe du grand Montréal, the Faith, Fealty and Creed Society, the Home School Legal Defence Association of Canada, the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Canada and the Seventh-day Adventist Church - Quebec Conference and the Corporation Archiépiscopale Catholique Romaine de Montréal and l'Archevêque Catholique Romain de Montréal are granted and the said eleven groups of interveners shall each be entitled to serve and file a factum not to exceed 10 pages in length on or before March 10, 2014.
The requests to present oral argument are deferred to a date following receipt and consideration of the written arguments of the parties and the interveners.
The interveners are not entitled to raise new issues or to adduce further evidence or otherwise to supplement the record of the parties.
Pursuant to Rule 59(1)(a) of the Rules of the Supreme Court of Canada, the interveners shall pay to the appellants and respondent any additional disbursements occasioned to the appellants and respondent by their interventions.
Granted
2014-01-16 Submission of motion for leave to intervene, LeB
2013-12-16 Reply to the motion for leave to intervene, (Letter Form), from Milton J. Fernandes dated 2013-12-16, Completed on: 2013-12-16 Corporation Archiépiscopale Catholique Romaine de Montréal and l'Archevêque Catholique Romain de Montréal
2013-12-16 Reply to the motion for leave to intervene, (Letter Form), from Ranjan K. Agarwal dated 2013-12-16, Completed on: 2013-12-16 Catholic Civil Rights League, Association des parents catholiques du Québec, Faith and Freedom Alliance and Association de la communauté copte orthodoxe du grand Montréal
2013-12-16 Reply to the motion for leave to intervene, (Letter Form), from Eugene Meehan, Q.C. dated 2013-12-16 re: reply to Appellants' response, Completed on: 2013-12-16 Faith, Fealty and Creed Society
2013-12-16 Reply to the motion for leave to intervene, (Letter Form), from Jean-Yves Côté dated 2013-12-16, Completed on: 2013-12-16 Home School Legal Defence Association of Canada
2013-12-13 Reply to the motion for leave to intervene, (Letter Form), from Guy De Pont, Ad.E. dated 2013-12-13, Completed on: 2013-12-13 Canadian Civil Liberties Association
2013-12-12 Response to the motion for leave to intervene, (Letter Form), from Mark Phillips dated 2013-12-12 re: response to the motion filed by Faith, Fealty and Creed Society, Completed on: 2013-12-12 Loyola High School
2013-12-12 Response to the motion for leave to intervene, (Letter Form), from Mark Phillips dated 2013-12-12 re: response to CCLA, ACESC, WSOC, HSLDAC, CACRMACRM, Seventh-day Adventist Church et al. and Catholic Civil League Rights et al., Completed on: 2013-12-12 Loyola High School
2013-12-12 Reply to the motion for leave to intervene, (Letter Form), from Barry W. Bussey dated 2013-12-12 (original filed 2013-12-17), Completed on: 2013-12-12 Canadian Council of Christian Charities
2013-12-12 Reply to the motion for leave to intervene, (Letter Form), from Eugene Meehan, Q.C. dated 2013-12-12 re: reply to respondent's response, Completed on: 2013-12-12 Faith, Fealty and Creed Society
2013-12-11 Reply to the motion for leave to intervene, (Letter Form), from Palbinder K. Shergill, Q.C. dated 2013-12-13, Completed on: 2013-12-11 Canadian Civil Liberties Association
2013-12-11 Reply to the motion for leave to intervene, (Letter Form), from Gerald D. Chipeur, Q.C. dated Dec. 10, 2013, Completed on: 2013-12-11 Seventh-day Adventist Church in Canada and Seventh-day Adventist Church - Quebec Conference
2013-12-11 Reply to the motion for leave to intervene, (Letter Form), from Robert E. Reynolds dated Dec. 10, 2013, Completed on: 2013-12-11 Christian Legal Fellowship
2013-12-10 Reply to the motion for leave to intervene, (Letter Form), from Ian C. Moes dated 2013-12-10, Completed on: 2013-12-10 Association of Christians Educators and Schools Canada
2013-12-09 Reply to the motion for leave to intervene, (Letter Form), from Albertos Polizogopoulos dated 2013-12-09, Completed on: 2013-12-09 Evangelical Fellowship of Canada
2013-12-09 Response to the motion for leave to intervene, (Letter Form), from Benoit Boucher dated 2013-12-09 re: response to all motions for intervention, Completed on: 2013-12-09 Attorney General of Quebec
2013-12-02 Motion for leave to intervene, (Book Form), Completed on: 2013-12-02 Corporation Archiépiscopale Catholique Romaine de Montréal and l'Archevêque Catholique Romain de Montréal
2013-12-02 Motion for leave to intervene, (Book Form), Completed on: 2013-12-02 Seventh-day Adventist Church in Canada and Seventh-day Adventist Church - Quebec Conference
2013-12-02 Motion for leave to intervene, (Book Form), Completed on: 2013-12-04 Home School Legal Defence Association of Canada
2013-12-02 Motion for leave to intervene, (Book Form), Completed on: 2013-12-02 Faith, Fealty and Creed Society
2013-12-02 Response to the motion for leave to intervene, (Letter Form), from Mark Philipps dated 2013-12-02, re: response to motions filed by CCCC, EFC and CLF, Completed on: 2013-12-02 Loyola High School
2013-12-02 Motion for leave to intervene, (Book Form), Completed on: 2013-12-04 Catholic Civil Rights League, Association des parents catholiques du Québec, Faith and Freedom Alliance and Association de la communauté copte orthodoxe du grand Montréal
2013-12-02 Motion for leave to intervene, (Book Form), service missing, rec'd 2013-12-05, Completed on: 2013-12-05 Canadian Civil Liberties Association
2013-11-29 Motion for leave to intervene, (Book Form), Completed on: 2013-12-04 Association of Christians Educators and Schools Canada
2013-11-29 Motion for leave to intervene, (Book Form), Completed on: 2013-12-04 World Sikh Organization of Canada
2013-11-27 Motion for leave to intervene, (Book Form), Completed on: 2013-11-27 Christian Legal Fellowship
2013-11-27 Motion for leave to intervene, (Book Form), Completed on: 2013-11-27 Evangelical Fellowship of Canada
2013-11-27 Notice of hearing sent to parties
2013-11-21 Motion for leave to intervene, (Book Form), Completed on: 2013-11-28 Canadian Council of Christian Charities
2013-11-19 Appeal hearing scheduled, 2014-03-24, (previously tentatively scheduled April 23, 2014)
Judgment reserved
2013-11-04 Appellant's book of authorities, (2 volumes), Completed on: 2013-11-04 Loyola High School
2013-11-04 Appellant's record, (10 volumes), Completed on: 2013-11-04 Loyola High School
2013-11-04 Appellant's factum, Completed on: 2013-11-04 Loyola High School
2013-08-12 Notice of appeal, Completed on: 2013-08-12 Loyola High School
2013-08-12 Notice of deposit for security Loyola High School
2013-06-18 Letter advising the parties of tentative hearing date and filing deadlines (Leave granted)
2013-06-14 Copy of formal judgment sent to Registrar of the Court of Appeal and all parties
2013-06-14 Judgment on leave sent to the parties
2013-06-13 Judgment of the Court on the application for leave to appeal, The application for leave to appeal from the judgment of the Court of Appeal of Quebec (Montréal), Number 500-09-020854-105, 2012 QCCA 2139, dated December 4, 2012, is granted with costs in the cause.
Granted, with costs in the cause
2013-04-08 All materials on application for leave submitted to the Judges, CJ Abe Cro
2013-03-07 Applicant's reply to respondent's argument, Completed on: 2013-03-07 Loyola High School
2013-02-28 Respondent's response on the application for leave to appeal, Service rec'd Mar. 5/13, Completed on: 2013-03-05 Attorney General of Quebec
2013-02-01 Letter acknowledging receipt of a complete application for leave to appeal
2013-02-01 Application for leave to appeal, Completed on: 2013-02-01 Loyola High School

Parties

Please note that in the case of closed files, the “Status” column reflects the status of the parties at the time of the proceedings. For more information about the proceedings and about the dates when the file was open, please consult the docket of the case in question.

Main parties

Main parties - Appellants
Name Role Status
Loyola High School Appellant Active
Zucchi, John Appellant Active

v.

Main parties - Respondents
Name Role Status
Attorney General of Quebec Respondent Active

Other parties

Other parties
Name Role Status
Canadian Council of Christian Charities Intervener Active
Evangelical Fellowship of Canada Intervener Active
Christian Legal Fellowship Intervener Active
World Sikh Organization of Canada Intervener Active
Association of Christians Educators and Schools Canada Intervener Active
Canadian Civil Liberties Association Intervener Active
Catholic Civil Rights League, Association des parents catholiques du Québec, Faith and Freedom Alliance and Association de la communauté copte orthodoxe du grand Montréal Intervener Active
Faith, Fealty and Creed Society Intervener Active
Home School Legal Defence Association of Canada Intervener Active
Seventh-day Adventist Church in Canada and Seventh-day Adventist Church - Quebec Conference Intervener Active
Corporation Archiépiscopale Catholique Romaine de Montréal and l'Archevêque Catholique Romain de Montréal Intervener Active

Counsel

Party: Loyola High School

Counsel
Mark Phillips
Jacques S. Darche
Borden Ladner Gervais LLP
1000, rue de la Gauchetière Ouest
Bureau 900
Montréal, Quebec
H3B 5H4
Telephone: (514) 954-3198
FAX: (514) 954-1905
Email: mphillips@blg.com
Agent
Nadia Effendi
Borden Ladner Gervais LLP
World Exchange Plaza
100 Queen Street, suite 1300
Ottawa, Ontario
K1P 1J9
Telephone: (613) 787-3562
FAX: (613) 230-8842
Email: neffendi@blg.com

Party: Zucchi, John

Counsel
Mark Phillips
Jacques S. Darche
Borden Ladner Gervais LLP
1000, rue de la Gauchetière Ouest
Bureau 900
Montréal, Quebec
H3B 5H4
Telephone: (514) 954-3198
FAX: (514) 954-1905
Email: mphillips@blg.com
Agent
Nadia Effendi
Borden Ladner Gervais LLP
World Exchange Plaza
100 Queen Street, suite 1300
Ottawa, Ontario
K1P 1J9
Telephone: (613) 787-3562
FAX: (613) 230-8842
Email: neffendi@blg.com

Party: Attorney General of Quebec

Counsel
Benoit Boucher
Caroline Renaud
Renée-Claude Ouellet
Dominique Legault
Amélie Pelletier-Desrosiers
Bernard, Roy & Associés
1, rue Notre-Dame Est
Bureau 8.00
Montréal, Quebec
H2Y 1B6
Telephone: (514) 393-2336 Ext: 51483
FAX: (514) 873-7074
Email: benoit.boucher@justice.gouv.qc.ca
Agent
Pierre Landry
Noël et Associés, s.e.n.c.r.l.
111, rue Champlain
Gatineau, Quebec
J8X 3R1
Telephone: (819) 503-2178
FAX: (819) 771-5397
Email: p.landry@noelassocies.com

Party: Canadian Council of Christian Charities

Counsel
Barry W. Bussey
Derek Ross
1-43 Howard Avenue
Elmira, Ontario
N3B 2C9
Telephone: (519) 669-5137
FAX: (519) 669-3291
Email: barry.bussey@cccc.org
Agent
Eugene Meehan, Q.C.
Supreme Advocacy LLP
100 - 340 Gilmour Street
Ottawa, Ontario
K2P 0R3
Telephone: (613) 695-8855 Ext: 101
FAX: (613) 695-8580
Email: emeehan@supremeadvocacy.ca

Party: Evangelical Fellowship of Canada

Counsel
Albertos Polizogopoulos
Don Hutchinson
Vincent Dagenais Gibson LLP
260 Dalhousie Street
Suite 400
Ottawa, Ontario
K1N 7E4
Telephone: (613) 552-6432
FAX: (613) 241-2599
Email: albertos@vdg.ca

Party: Christian Legal Fellowship

Counsel
Robert E. Reynolds
1980, Sherbrooke W, Suite 900
Montreal, Quebec
H3H 1E8
Telephone: (514) 939-4633
FAX: (514) 939-2786
Email: rreynoldslaw@gmail.com
Agent
Albertos Polizogopoulos
Vincent Dagenais Gibson LLP
260 Dalhousie Street
Suite 400
Ottawa, Ontario
K1N 7E4
Telephone: (613) 552-6432
FAX: (613) 241-2599
Email: albertos@vdg.ca

Party: World Sikh Organization of Canada

Counsel
Palbinder K. Shergill, Q.C.
Balpreet Singh Boparai
Shergill & Company
Suite 286-8128
128th street
Surrey, British Columbia
V3W 1R1
Telephone: (604) 597-8111
FAX: (604) 597-8133
Email: pkshergill@shergilllaw.com
Agent
Marie-France Major
Supreme Advocacy LLP
100- 340 Gilmour Street
Ottawa, Ontario
K2P 0R3
Telephone: (613) 695-8855 Ext: 102
FAX: (613) 695-8580
Email: mfmajor@supremeadvocacy.ca

Party: Association of Christians Educators and Schools Canada

Counsel
Ian C. Moes
André Schutten
Kuhn LLP
100 - 32160 South Fraser Way
Abbotsford, British Columbia
V2T 1W5
Telephone: (604) 864-8877
FAX: (604) 864-8867
Email: imoes@kuhnco.net
Agent
Marie-France Major
Supreme Advocacy LLP
100- 340 Gilmour Street
Ottawa, Ontario
K2P 0R3
Telephone: (613) 695-8855 Ext: 102
FAX: (613) 695-8580
Email: mfmajor@supremeadvocacy.ca

Party: Canadian Civil Liberties Association

Counsel
Guy Du Pont
Jean-Philippe Groleau
Léon H. Moubayed
Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP
26e étage
1501, avenue McGill College
Montréal, Quebec
H3A 3N9
Telephone: (514) 841-6406
FAX: (514) 841-6499
Email: gdupont@dwpv.com
Agent
Henry S. Brown, Q.C.
Gowling WLG (Canada) LLP
2600 - 160 Elgin St
P.O. Box 466, Stn "D"
Ottawa, Ontario
K1P 1C3
Telephone: (613) 233-1781
FAX: (613) 788-3433
Email: henry.brown@gowlings.com

Party: Catholic Civil Rights League, Association des parents catholiques du Québec, Faith and Freedom Alliance and Association de la communauté copte orthodoxe du grand Montréal

Counsel
Robert W. Staley
Ranjan K. Agarwal
Jack R. Maslen
Bennett Jones LLP
3400 One First Canadian Place
P.O. Box 130
Toronto, Ontario
M5X 1A4
Telephone: (416) 863-1200
FAX: (416) 863-1716
Email: staleyr@bennettjones.com
Agent
Robyn Ryan Bell
Bennett Jones LLP
World Exchange Plaza
1900 - 45 O'Connor Street
Ottawa, Ontario
K1P 1A4
Telephone: (613) 683-2307
FAX: (613) 683-2323
Email: ryanbellr@bennettjones.com

Party: Faith, Fealty and Creed Society

Counsel
Blake Bromley
Kathryn Chan
Thomas Slade
Eugene Meehan, Q.C.
Benefic Law Corporation
1250 - 1500 West Georgia Street
P.O. Box 62
Vancouver, British Columbia
V6G 2Z6
Telephone: (604) 683-7006
FAX: (604) 683-5676
Email: blake@beneficgroup.com
Agent
Marie-France Major
Supreme Advocacy LLP
100- 340 Gilmour Street
Ottawa, Ontario
K2P 0R3
Telephone: (613) 695-8855 Ext: 102
FAX: (613) 695-8580
Email: mfmajor@supremeadvocacy.ca

Party: Home School Legal Defence Association of Canada

Counsel
Jean-Yves Côté
Paul D. Farris
Côté Avocats Inc.
7096 rue des Écores
Montréal, Quebec
H2E 2V8
Telephone: (450) 922-1271
FAX: (450) 649-7619
Email: jyc@illico.ca
Agent
Eugene Meehan, Q.C.
Supreme Advocacy LLP
100 - 340 Gilmour Street
Ottawa, Ontario
K2P 0R3
Telephone: (613) 695-8855 Ext: 101
FAX: (613) 695-8580
Email: emeehan@supremeadvocacy.ca

Party: Seventh-day Adventist Church in Canada and Seventh-day Adventist Church - Quebec Conference

Counsel
Gerald D. Chipeur, Q.C.
Sean Kelly
Grace Mackintosh
Miller Thomson LLP
3000, 700- 9th Avenue SW
Calgary, Alberta
T2P 3V4
Telephone: (403) 298-2434
FAX: (403) 262-0007
Email: gchipeur@millerthomson.com
Agent
Eugene Meehan, Q.C.
Supreme Advocacy LLP
100 - 340 Gilmour Street
Ottawa, Ontario
K2P 0R3
Telephone: (613) 695-8855 Ext: 101
FAX: (613) 695-8580
Email: emeehan@supremeadvocacy.ca

Party: Corporation Archiépiscopale Catholique Romaine de Montréal and l'Archevêque Catholique Romain de Montréal

Counsel
Milton James Fernandes
Sergio G. Famularo
Famularo Fernandes Levinson Inc.
1962 Notre-Dame Street West
Montréal, Quebec
H3J 1M8
Telephone: (514) 842-0606
FAX: (514) 842-0660
Email: fernandes@ffl-law.com
Agent
Nadia Effendi
Borden Ladner Gervais LLP
World Exchange Plaza
100 Queen Street, suite 1300
Ottawa, Ontario
K1P 1J9
Telephone: (613) 787-3562
FAX: (613) 230-8842
Email: neffendi@blg.com

Summary

Keywords

None.

Summary

Case summaries are prepared by the Office of the Registrar of the Supreme Court of Canada (Law Branch). Please note that summaries are not provided to the Judges of the Court. They are placed on the Court file and website for information purposes only.

Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms - Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms of Québec - Freedom of conscience and religion - Mandatory ethics and religious culture (“ERC”) program - Catholic school invoking freedom of conscience and religion in support of request for exemption to teach ERC subject using its own program - Request for exemption denied by Minister - Whether Appellant, as a religious educational institution, enjoys fundamental right of freedom of religion entrenched in s. 2a) of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and s. 3 of the Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms of Québec - Applicable standard of review - Whether Minister’s decision was defensible on applicable standard of review.

In 2008, the ERC program became mandatory in Quebec schools, replacing Catholic and Protestant programs of religious and moral instruction. Loyola High School (the “Appellant”) is a religious educational institution. It requested an exemption from the ERC program in order to continue to offer its own program pursuant to section 22 of the Regulation respecting the application of the Act respecting private education (R.R.Q., c. E-9.1, r. 1). An exemption is available where the institution dispenses programs of studies which the Minister of Education, Recreation and Sports (the “Minister”) judges equivalent. The Minister denied the exemption on the basis that the Appellant’s program was not equivalent to the ERC program, inter alia on grounds that it is faith-based as opposed to cultural in its approach. The Appellant, along with co-Appellant John Zucchi in his capacity as tutor to his son, a student at the school at issue, brought a motion for judicial review seeking to quash the Minister’s decision and requesting an exemption from the ERC program as well as the right to teach its own program.

Lower court rulings

June 18, 2010
Superior Court of Quebec

500-17-045278-085

Minister’s decision quashed; Applicant declared exempt from using the ERC program established by the Minister; and Applicant authorized to teach ERC subject using its own program.
December 4, 2012
Court of Appeal of Quebec (Montréal)

2012 QCCA 2139, 500-09-020854-105

Appeal allowed and Minister’s decision confirmed.

Memorandums of argument on application for leave to appeal

The memorandums of argument on an application for leave to appeal will be posted here 30 days after leave to appeal has been granted unless they contain personal information, information that is subject to a publication ban, or any other information that is not part of the public record. You may also obtain copies of the memorandum by filing out the Request for Court records form or by contacting the Court’s Records Centre either by email at records-dossiers@scc-csc.ca or by telephone at 613‑996‑7933 or at 1‑888‑551‑1185.

If you have questions about a memorandum of argument or want to use a memorandum of argument, please contact the author of the memorandum of argument directly. Their name appears at the end of the memorandum of argument. The contact information for counsel is found in the “Counsel” tab of this page.

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Factums on appeal

The factums of the appellant, the respondent and the intervener will be posted here at least 2 weeks before the hearing unless they contain personal information, information that is subject to a publication ban, or any other information that is not part of the public record. You may also obtain copies of factums by filling out the Request for Court records form or by contacting the Court’s Records Centre either by email at records-dossiers@scc-csc.ca or by telephone at 613‑996‑7933 or at 1‑888‑551‑1185.

If you have questions about a factum or want permission to use a factum, please contact the author of the factum directly. Their contact information appears on the first page of each factum.

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Date modified: 2025-02-27