Religion declared “non-essential.” Skeptical voices censored. The elderly dying alone. Christmas in lockdown.
These are just a few examples from the lengthy hit-list of government violations of Canadians’ civil liberties during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our guests for this episode are co-authors of Pandemic Panic: How Canadian Government Responses to COVID-19 Changed Civil Liberties Forever. The book attempts to ensure that the implications of government overreach aren’t simply lost down the memory hole forever.
We also discuss our guests making international headlines after a federal judge in Canada ruled in favour of their court challenge against the Federal government’s use of emergency authority in response to the Freedom Convoy protests in 2022.
Joanna Baron and Christine Van Geyn are the Executive Director and Litigation Director for the Canadian Constitution Foundation. The CCF is a national non-profit charity committed to defending the constitutionally-protected rights and freedoms of Canadians.
Resources
Joanna Baron and Christine Van Geyn (official CCF biographies)
Canadian Constitution Foundation
@CDNConstFound
Joanna Baron and Christine Van Geyn, Pandemic Panic: How Canadian Government Responses to COVID-19 Changed Civil Liberties Forever (2023)
“Ottawa's use of Emergencies Act against convoy protests was unreasonable, violated Charter, court rules”, CBC (January 2024)
Joanna Baron and Christine Van Geyn, “The government violated Canadians’ rights during the COVID-19 pandemic. Now the courts are giving them a pass”, The Hub (November 2023)
Emily Oster, “Let’s declare a pandemic amnesty”, The Atlantic (October 2022)
podcast@crownandcrozier.com
www.crownandcrozier.com
twitter.com/crownandcrozier
Please note that this podcast has been edited for length and clarity.