'Striking the Right Balance: Rethinking the Contest between Freedom of Religion and Equality Rights in Trinity Western University v. The Law Society of British Columbia'

Forthcoming in the University of British Columbia Law Review, (2017) Volume 50:3

65 Pages Posted: 12 May 2017

See all articles by Robin Elliot

Robin Elliot

University of British Columbia (UBC), Faculty of Law

Michael Elliot

Cooper Litigation

Date Written: May 9, 2017

Abstract

This paper is a critical look at the holding of the British Columbia Court of Appeal in Trinity Western University v The Law Society of British Columbia that freedom of religion obliged the Law Society of British Columbia to approve Trinity Western University’s proposed new law school. The authors argue that that holding was wrong, and for a number of reasons. They contend that it was wrong in its characterization of the freedom of religion interest invoked by TWU; wrong in its assessment of the seriousness of the infringement on freedom of religion resulting from the Law Society’s refusal to approve TWU’s new law school; wrong in both its characterization of the equality interest of members of the LGBTQ community invoked by the Law Society and in its assessment of the importance of that equality interest; and wrong in concluding that the balance of the competing interests of freedom of religion and equality in the context in question fell in favour of the former. Each of these contentions is developed separately and at some length, with significant reliance being placed inter alia on a number of relevant Supreme Court of Canada judgments to which the authors argue the Court of Appeal gave either no or insufficient attention.

Keywords: freedom of religion, the right to equality, judicial review

Suggested Citation

Elliot, Robin and Elliot, Michael, 'Striking the Right Balance: Rethinking the Contest between Freedom of Religion and Equality Rights in Trinity Western University v. The Law Society of British Columbia' (May 9, 2017). Forthcoming in the University of British Columbia Law Review, (2017) Volume 50:3, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2965776

Robin Elliot (Contact Author)

University of British Columbia (UBC), Faculty of Law ( email )

1822 East Mall
Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z1
Canada

Michael Elliot

Cooper Litigation ( email )

Vancouver, British Columbia
Canada

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