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"Supreme Court of Canada says 7-2 decision will ensure open access for LGBT students" A B.C.-based evangelical Christian university has lost its legal battle over accreditation for a planned new law school, with a Supreme Court of Canada ruling today saying it's "proportionate and reasonable" to limit religious rights in order to ensure open access for LGBT students. In a pair of 7-2 rulings, the majority of justices found the law societies of British Columbia and Ontario have the power to refuse accreditation based on Trinity Western University's so-called community covenant. The mandatory covenant binds students to a strict code...

The Supreme Court of Canada will deliver a landmark ruling Friday in a closely-watched case that weighs religious freedom against LGBT rights. The judgment effectively could determine whether Trinity Western University (TWU) — a private, evangelical Christian post-secondary institution — can operate a law school at its Langley, B.C. campus. Law societies in B.C., Nova Scotia and Ontario have refused to accredit Trinity's program, arguing that the school's "community covenant" — which requires students to abstain from sex outside heterosexual marriage — discriminates against LGBT people. In B.C. and Nova Scotia, the courts have sided with TWU, ruling the university...

Hon. Stephen Harper (Leader of the Opposition, CPC): Mr. Speaker, before I turn to my formal remarks I would like to begin with just a brief reply to the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister spoke at length, as we just heard, about rights in the Charter of Rights. I remind the Prime Minister that in our system of government, the Prime Minister does not decide or define our rights. The Prime Minister does not interpret the Charter of Rights. The Supreme Court of Canada does that. He asked the Supreme Court of Canada to endorse his interpretation and it just...