QUÉBEC – A Quebec court has ruled the provincial government violated the Charter of Rights and Freedoms by cancelling a Christian event over concerns it would promote anti-abortion views.
The Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms says the Superior Court of Quebec found that the government unjustifiably infringed Harvest Ministries International’s freedoms of expression, religion and association when it cancelled the 2023 event.
Harvest Ministries sued the provincial government for $80,000 and sought a declaration from the Superior Court that the group’s Charter rights were violated by the cancellation.
Caroline Proulx was tourism minister when she blocked the “Faith, Fire, Freedom Rally” at Quebec City’s provincially owned convention centre.
The Justice Centre, which represented Harvest Ministries, says the court awarded compensatory damages and ordered Proulx to pay $30,000 in punitive damages after finding that her conduct intentionally infringed its freedom of expression.
Proulx says the government is analyzing the ruling before deciding on next steps.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 31, 2026.
