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 said 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.

“The court concluded that the minister acted without legal authority, exercised government power arbitrarily, and denied the organization access to a publicly owned venue because officials disagreed with its viewpoint,” the Justice Centre, which represents British Columbia-based Harvest Ministries, said in a statement Friday.

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.

The Quebec government argued that the right to freedom of religion and non-discrimination applies only to individuals, not to legal entities.

Caroline Proulx was tourism minister when she blocked the “Faith, Fire, Freedom Rally” at Quebec City’s provincially owned convention centre in 2023.

The Justice Centre said the program did not contain any presentations related to abortion but Proulx directed the convention centre to terminate the rental agreement.

Pastor Arthur Lucier, founder of Harvest Ministries International, testified earlier this year that the Quebec City gathering was not an anti-abortion event, but rather a reconciliation event between the founding peoples of the Canadian federation.

Lucier told the court he was informed three weeks before the event that the rental agreement had been cancelled and said he approached 50 other venues without success, calling the situation “heartbreaking” for those who wanted to attend.

“The court rejected the government’s actions, finding that no law, regulation or government directive authorized the minister to prevent the conference from proceeding,” the Justice Centre said in its statement.

“It concluded that the minister effectively created her own rule restricting access to a public venue based solely on disagreement with Harvest Ministries International’s beliefs. The court further held that the decision could not be justified in a free and democratic society.”

The Justice Centre said 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.

In a statement posted on social media, Proulx said the Coalition Avenir Québec government was analyzing the ruling before deciding on next steps.

“However, the Quebec government and the Coalition Avenir Québec remain profoundly attached to fundamental rights and freedoms in Quebec,” said Proulx, who currently serves as parliamentary assistant to the minister responsible for the status of women.

“We reiterate our full commitment toward the rights of women over their own bodies and to make their own choices regarding reproductive health. Quebec has always defended these rights and will continue to do so.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 31, 2026.

The Canadian Press