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Iain Benson

www.cardus.ca/contributors/ibenson/

Iain Benson

Iain Benson is Senior Associate Counsel with Miller Thomson LLP, and former executive director of the Centre for Cultural Renewal.

Cardus Policy in Public

Oct 21, 2010

Response

Why We Must Reject Civil Religion in Favour of Civil Virtues

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LexView

Dec 29, 2008

LexView

LexView 65.0 - Religion is in the Eye of the Beholder

Dec 17, 2008

LexView

LexView 64.0 - The State of Free Speech in Saskatchewan

Feb 15, 2008

LexView

LexView 63.0 - When Should the Courts Enforce Religious Obligations?

Nov 9, 2007

LexView

LexView 62.0 - Religious Objection to Driver's Licence Photographs: Accommodation in Alberta

Apr 4, 2007

LexView

LexView 61.0 - Can Bible Verses be Hate Speech?

Jan 10, 2007

LexView

LexView 60.0 - Terrorism and the Law: Balancing Security with the Chill on Fundamental Freedoms

Oct 20, 2006

LexView

LexView 59.0 - The Same-Sex Marriage Reference in Context: Recent Developments and Concerns

Jun 26, 2006

LexView

LexView 58.0 - What is the Distinction Between Reasoned Debate and Discriminatory Rhetoric?

Jun 2, 2006

LexView

LexView 57.0 - Accommodating Kirpans in Public Schools

Apr 28, 2006

LexView

LexView 56.0 - Swingers Clubs

Apr 12, 2006

LexView

LexView 55.0 - Is Religion of Demonstrable Benefit to the Community?

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Feb 23, 2006

LexView

LexView 54.0 - The Scope of Protection for Religious Dissent Regarding Same-sex Marriage?

Oct 13, 2003

LexView

LevView 53.0 - The Inconsistency of Canadian Laws Regarding Rights in Relation to Expression and Religion when they relate to Abortion Protests

Mar 27, 2003

LexView

LexView 52.0 - The Court Claims to Extend its Jurisdiction to Church Matters

Nov 29, 2002

LexView

LexView 51.0 - Court Overturns Key Aspect of Human Rights Board of Inquiry Decision: Religious Freedom Respected, but Narrowly

Feb 27, 2002

LexView

LexView 50.0 - Should Spanking Your Child Be a Criminal Act?

Jan 9, 2002

LexView

LexView 49.0 - Same-Sex Marriage Rejected

Nov 8, 2001

LexView

LexView 48.0 - Prayer in the Legislative Assembly

May 28, 2001

LexView

LexView 46.0 - Pluralism and the Respect for Religious Freedom

Feb 27, 2001

LexView

LexView 44.0 - Moral Reasoning, Extradition, and the Death Penalty

Jan 22, 2001

LexView

LexView 43.0 - Law as Moral Education

Dec 22, 2000

LexView

LexView 42.0 - Challenge to Obscenity Test Fails

Nov 9, 2000

LexView

LexView 41.0 - Marijuana Use, Fundamental Justice, and Morality

Sep 27, 2000

LexView

LexView 40.0 - Court Corrects Erroneous Understanding of the Secular and Respects Parental Rights

Sep 8, 2000

LexView

LexView 39.0 - Equality and Human Dignity

Aug 30, 2000

LexView

LexView 38.0 - The Diminution of Freedom of Religion

Mar 3, 2000

LexView

LexView 37.0 - Fraud and the Public Good

Nov 26, 1999

LexView

LexView 36.0 - Parental Rights and Psychological Integrity

Sep 30, 1999

LexView

LexView 35.0 - Putting Out Fires

Aug 20, 1999

LexView

LexView 34.0 - Can a Child Sue for Prenatal Injuries?

Jul 25, 1999

LexView

LexView 33.0 - Sexualizing Children

Jul 12, 1999

LexView

LexView 32.0 - Making Someone Pay

Jul 7, 1999

LexView

LexView 31.0 - Victims' Rights and Criminal Prosecutions

Jul 2, 1999

LexView

LexView 30.0 - Does the Charter Require Same-sex "Spouses"?

Jun 13, 1999

LexView

LexView 29.0 - Court Affirms Need for Committed Parenting

Jun 4, 1999

LexView

LexView 28.0 - Are Dignity and Equality Matters of "Feelings?"

May 21, 1999

LexView

LexView 27.0 - Bonnets, Crinolines, and Letters to the Editor

Feb 2, 1999

LexView

LexView 26.0 - Child Pornography and Excessive Individualism

Jan 8, 1999

LexView

LexView 25.0 - Court Misunderstands the Meaning of "Secular"

Dec 24, 1998

LexView

LexView 24.0 - Latimer: Court Rejects "Compassionate" Killing

Dec 8, 1998

LexView

LexView 23.0 - Court Gives Course in Medical Ethics to the Public Trustee

Dec 3, 1998

LexView

LexView 22.0 - Are the Courts "the New Gatekeepers"?

Sep 25, 1998

LexView

LexView 21.0 - Revoking Consent: Where Deception and Disease Equal Assault

Aug 24, 1998

LexView

LexView 20.0 - Should I Stay or Should I Go?

Jul 24, 1998

LexView

LexView 19.0 - Obscene Expressions: Court Affirms Moral Responsibilities of Government

May 20, 1998

LexView

LexView 18.0 - An Uncharitable Threat

Apr 3, 1998

LexView

LexView 17.0 - Throwing Down the Gauntlet: The Supreme Court of Canada Defines its Role

Mar 27, 1998

LexView

LexView 16.0 - Fear in the Classroom

Feb 27, 1998

LexView

LexView 15.0 - Natural Rights and the Supreme Court of Canada

Dec 4, 1997

LexView

LexView 14.0 - Now Hear This: The Supreme Court of Canada on Equality Rights

Nov 10, 1997

LexView

LexView 13.0 - Caring for the Mother and Unborn Child—Legislature's Given Green Light to Make Changes

Sep 29, 1997

LexView

LexView 12.0 - Guelph's Hot Days of Summer

Sep 26, 1997

LexView

LexView 11.0 - Back to School with the BC College of Teachers

Sep 18, 1997

LexView

LexView 10.0 - Minority Education Rights in Newfoundland

Aug 25, 1997

LexView

LexView 09.0 - Sexual Assault: The Defence of Honest but Mistaken Belief in Consent

Aug 19, 1997

LexView

LexView 08.0 - Charter Violations and the Exclusion of Evidence: Bringing the Administration of Justice into Disrepute

Jul 9, 1997

LexView

LexView 07.0 - Family matters: Are Prior Agreements and Conduct Now Irrelevant in Canadian Law?

Jul 2, 1997

LexView

LexView 6.0 - Dancing with Indecency

Jun 27, 1997

LexView

LexView 5.0 - Court Affirms Natural Basis for Family

Jun 20, 1997

LexView

LexView 4.0 - Sexual Assault and Community Safety: Justice Twaddle in Context and Media Reporting

Jun 19, 1997

LexView

LexView 3.0 - Prenatal Injuries—A Child's Right to Compensation

Jun 16, 1997

LexView

LexView 2.0 - The Court's Jurisdiction in Religious Matters is not over Faith, Doctrine, or Morals

Jun 13, 1997

LexView

LexView 1.0 - Public Education—A Delegation by Parents

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Columns & Opinions

Mar 13, 2009

Centre Article 168: When the State Over-Reaches and Seeks to Govern Religions

Feb 27, 2009

Centre Article 167: Cristina Alarcon's Open Letter to Alberta Pharmacists

Dec 20, 2008

Centre Article 166: Does Religious Belief Play a Role in Charitable Giving?

Sep 22, 2008

Centre Article 165: Faith and Reason: It Seems that the Irrational and Superstitious are the Atheists

Sep 12, 2008

Centre Article 164: Many Unhappy Returns

Sep 12, 2008

Physicians, Patients, Human Rights, and Referrals: A Principled Approach to Respecting the Rights of Physicians and Patients in Ontario

Jul 22, 2008

Centre Article 163: The Veiled Threats of Secularism: Are Women Independent Moral Agents?

Jul 14, 2008

Centre Article 161: On the Passing of Rev. Robert (Bob) Brow (August 30, 1924 - July 10, 2008)

Jun 18, 2008

Centre Article 159: Why the term secular should be dropped as misleading

May 12, 2008

Centre Article 158: Christian Horizons, Secularist Sunsets and the Nature of the "Public"

Mar 20, 2008

Centre Article 156: Draft of the South African Charter of Religious Rights

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Mar 14, 2008

Centre Article 155: Church Rules and the Separation of Church and State

Mar 3, 2008

Centre Article 154: Religious Inter-faith Co-operation: A Lesson From South Africa

Jan 25, 2008

Centre Article 152: Do Civil Liberties in Canada Pose a Threat to Religions?

Jan 16, 2008

Centre Article 151: Human Rights, The Prophet Cartoons and the Case of Ezra Levant

Jan 10, 2008

Centre Article 150: Canada Going Very Wrong on Religious Accommodation

Dec 18, 2007

The Need to Re-Evaluate the Language of the Secular and Secularism in The Quest for Fair Treatment of Minorities and Belief in Quebec and Canada Today

Nov 9, 2007

Centre Article 149: A.C. Grayling: Another Contemporary Author Who Attacks Religion On False & Contradictory Grounds

Oct 30, 2007

Centre Article 148: The "Position of the State": Does the State have ONE view?

Oct 12, 2007

Centre Article 147: Public Education is Faith-based Education

Sep 14, 2007

Centre Article 146: Is There Suppression of Discussion about Islam and the Funding of International Terrorism?

Aug 14, 2007

Centre Article 145: Alasdair MacIntyre and the University: The Need to "Teach the Controversies"

Jun 28, 2007

Centre Article 144: Debates about Religious Symbols and Beliefs in Public Schools

Jun 22, 2007

Centre Article 143: The New Anti-God Evangelists: Sam Harris, Richard Dawkins, Christopher Hitchens

Jun 15, 2007

Centre Article 142: Once More into the Breach: Court Challenges in a Language Setting

Mar 30, 2007

Centre Article 140: Why Science Has No Competence to Speak about Philosophy and Theology of Things

Mar 26, 2007

Centre Article 139: What Happened to "Abominable?" An "Aha Moment" from C.S. Lewis

Mar 16, 2007

Centre Article 138: Charles Taylor Wins the Templeton Prize: A Well Deserved Honour

Mar 15, 2007

Centre Article 137: On Hijabs and Soccer: Using one rule to avoid others

Mar 2, 2007

Centre Article 136: Physicians and Marriage Commissioners: Accommodation of Differing Beliefs

Feb 5, 2007

Centre Article 135: Persons or Individuals?: Swiss Court Adopts Radical Autonomy for Euthanasia

Jan 26, 2007

Centre Article 131: Church Exemptions from Law? Same-sex Adoption and BBC Spin

Jan 25, 2007

Centre Article 130: Peter Singer's "A Dubious Distinction": A Response by Alex Schadenberg

Jan 5, 2007

Centre Article 129: The Judicial Enlargement of the Family: The Ontario Three Parents' Decision

Jan 1, 2007

The Jurisdiction of Science: What the Evolution/Creation Debate is Not About

Dec 4, 2006

Centre Article 128: University Free Speech, Ivory Towers and the New Sectarianism

Nov 15, 2006

Centre Article 127: When Shrimps Learn to Whistle: Elton John as Cultural Philosopher

Nov 6, 2006

To Encourage Civil Dialogue: A Principled Analysis for Governmental Support of Constitutional Development in Canada

Sep 26, 2006

Centre Article 126: Islam and the Pope: God and Rationality

Sep 25, 2006

Centre Article 125: The Use of Religious Concepts in a Post-religious Age: Canada's Continuing Edwardianism

Sep 15, 2006

Centre Article 124: Why the Court Challenges Program Should Be Abolished as Being Wrong in Principle

Sep 8, 2006

Centre Article 123: Atheism and the Roots of Evil (Part 1): The Nobel Prize Physicist

Jun 28, 2006

Centre Article 122: The Sex Trap: Why Sex-Based Initiatives Are Not Just

May 5, 2006

Centre Article 121: Joffe Bill and Palliative Care in Islamic Countries

Apr 13, 2006

Centre Article 120: Nigeria Breaches the Human Rights of Those Who Support Same-sex Marriage

Apr 7, 2006

Centre Article 118: Last Night Clare was Murdered: Make your Richness Count

Apr 4, 2006

Centre Article 117: Distribution of Holy Books in Public Schools: Gideon's Shine a Light

Mar 26, 2006

Centre Article 116: Like Ripples on a Pond: On the Life of a Much Loved Friend

Mar 22, 2006

Centre Article 115: The Meaning of "Conservative" and the Confusion of "Left" and "Right"

Mar 21, 2006

Centre Article 114: Theocracies in America: What Needs to be Learned to Preserve Ordered Liberty

Mar 7, 2006

Centre Article 113: Spina Bifida as a Death Sentence: Holland Ushers in New Horrors

Jan 16, 2006

Centre Article 110: Charities and Election Statements: What Kind of Open Society is Canada?

Jan 10, 2006

Centre Article 109: European Experts, the Slovak Republic, the Holy See and Medical/Educational Ethics

Jan 4, 2006

Centre Article 108: Democracy and the Montreal Swinger's Club Case

Dec 8, 2005

Centre Article 107: Law and the Interpretation of Unwritten Principles: It is Not Comprehensive

Dec 5, 2005

Centre Article 106: South Africa's Marriage Law Decision and Further Extension of the Law

Nov 28, 2005

Centre Article 105: Chesterton on France: Further Reflections on Burning Cars in Europe's Most Civilized Country

Nov 16, 2005

Centre Article 104: A Year Later and Another "Weather" Report from France

Oct 28, 2005

Centre Article 103: Does "Faith" Make a Difference in Media and Politics? ... Beyond Headcounts

Sep 23, 2005

Centre Article 102: Life, Death and the Meaning of Dignity in Relation to Assisted Suicide

Sep 20, 2005

Centre Article 101: The Rise of "Psethics": "Frozen" vs. "Fresh" Embryos and Bankruptcy in Medical Ethics

Sep 14, 2005

Centre Article 100: Which is the Best Country in the World in Which to Live?

Sep 9, 2005

Centre Article 099: Yet More Pharmacists Who Don't Understand Ethics: This Time Ontario

Aug 30, 2005

Centre Article 098: An Unforgettable Experience: Two Films by Godfrey Reggio

Aug 26, 2005

Centre Article 097: The Theocratic Temptation in Religion and Law: The Pat Robertson Problem

Jul 23, 2005

Centre Article 096: "Wandering Between Two Worlds": Practical Suggestions Following the Same-sex Marriage Change

Jul 22, 2005

Centre Article 095: Why Conscience and Religion have to Be Held Together

Jul 20, 2005

Centre Article 094: Before the Senate Standing Committee on Bill C-38 (Same-sex Marriage)

Jul 8, 2005

Centre Article 093: London Terrorist Bombings and a Muslim Response

Jul 6, 2005

Centre Article 092: Summer Reading and the Work of James V. Schall: Another Sort of Learning

Jul 2, 2005

Centre Article 091: The Reading Down of Conscience Protection: Pharmacists and "One Size Fits All" Ethics

Jun 27, 2005

Centre Article 090: Bob Brow's Model Theology - The Importance of Clarifying Terms

Jun 27, 2005

Centre Article 089: Inter-faith Sculpture Day in the City Park

Jun 22, 2005

Centre Article 088: Dignity and Difference: Presenting Before the Committee on the Same-sex Marriage Bill

Jun 21, 2005

Centre Article 087: The Bishop, the Taxman and the Separation of Church and State

Jun 20, 2005

Centre Article 086: Almost Meeting Terry Teachout

Jun 19, 2005

Centre Article 085: Same-sex Marriage and Tax Status Threats

Jun 7, 2005

Centre Article 084: CCCB Points out Canada's Non-Liberal Direction in Relation to Marriage: Is Anybody Listening?

May 31, 2005

Centre Article 083: "Ultimate Fighting" and Ancient Rome: Gladiatorial Entertainment

May 27, 2005

Centre Article 082: Christian Activists Get Party Nominations: Woo, Scary

May 26, 2005

Centre Article 081: Two Views of the Georgia Straight's Article on the Centre/SFU Conference

May 11, 2005

Centre Article 080: Religion and Evolution: Understanding Jurisdiction

May 11, 2005

Centre Article 079: Henry Morgentaler: an Honorary Doctorate?

Apr 22, 2005

Centre Article 078: Large Families and Natural Selection

Apr 19, 2005

Centre Article 077: Choosing a New Pope

Apr 15, 2005

Centre Article 075: Why Courts Should not be Limiting "Sacred Spaces"

Apr 13, 2005

Centre Article 074: Why the Church Should not Necessarily (or at all) "Change with the Times"

Apr 5, 2005

Centre Article 073: Some Thoughts on The Nature of Religion

Apr 2, 2005

Centre Article 071: Pope John Paul II the Great

Mar 31, 2005

Centre Article 070: Premier Ralph Klein, the Human Rights Commissioner, and Bishop Henry of Calgary

Mar 29, 2005

Centre Article 069: Why the State Should not be in the Marriage Corruption Business

Mar 10, 2005

Centre Article 065: Fears About Sharia Law Arbitration in Canada

Feb 22, 2005

Centre Article 063: Canada: Love it or Leave it! Law, Dialogue and Section 33

Feb 22, 2005

Centre Article 062: Separation of Church and State Includes Cooperation

Feb 9, 2005

Centre Article 061: The Continuing Significance of Ash Wednesday

Feb 3, 2005

Centre Article 060: Section 33 Dangerous to Charter? Letter to the Editor, National Post

Feb 2, 2005

Centre Article 059: Charter Section 33 and the Law Professors

Jan 28, 2005

Centre Article 057: Spring and Assisted Suicide

Jan 26, 2005

Centre Article 056: Why Some People Just Don't Get the Brockie Decision

Jan 12, 2005

Centre Article 055: New Year's Resolutions, Free Will and Tsunami Waves

Dec 9, 2004

Centre Article 054: Centre Response to Supreme Court Marriage Reference Decision

Dec 8, 2004

Centre Article 053: How the Marriage Challenge Developed

Dec 3, 2004

Centre Article 052: Euthanasia of Children: "Compassion" Dutch Style

Dec 1, 2004

Centre Article 051: Why Atheistic Humanists Ought Not, Logicallly, to Worry About the Destruction of the World

Nov 29, 2004

Centre Article 050: Women's Rights, Muslim Veils and the Logic of "Choice"

Nov 23, 2004

Centre Article 049: Strange Death-fellows and the Question of Fame: Lewis, Huxley and Kennedy

Nov 19, 2004

Centre Article 048: Opposing Religion to Human Rights: "Gay-Ed" Videos

Oct 26, 2004

Centre Article 047: Atheism in Decline: The Major Players in the New World (Dis)Order

Oct 22, 2004

Centre Article 046: Buttiglione Affair: "Homophobia", "Heterosexism", Deep Intolerance and Threats to Religions

Oct 22, 2004

Centre Article 045: Waiting for the Storm: First Muslim Exclusions from School

Oct 19, 2004

Centre Article 044: Presidential Debates: Fear the Man Who Honours "Feelings" But Trashes Logic

Oct 15, 2004

Centre Article 043: New Corporate Ethics: The Royal Bank and the Rainbow

Oct 6, 2004

Centre Article 042: The New Judicial Appointments: "They. Are. Zealots."

Sep 10, 2004

Centre Article 041: Why the Angels are in the Details: Food, Wine, Music, the Gargas Caves and Everything

Sep 1, 2004

Centre Article 040: Once More on the Pseudo Olympics

Aug 20, 2004

Centre Article 039: Change the Olympics Now or Start Up the Campaign for Real Olympics

Jul 30, 2004

Centre Article 038: Engaging Culture about Marriage: Governance and Law without Morality or Philosophy

Jul 28, 2004

Centre Article 037: The Ethics of "Choice" Thirty Years On: The Microcosm of "Regime Change"

Jul 27, 2004

Centre Article 036: National Post Article Endorses Centre's Argument on Civil Unions

Jul 23, 2004

Centre Article 035: "Civil Unions" or "Same-Sex Civil Marriages": Get the State Out of Marriage

Jul 21, 2004

Centre Article 034: New Bible Translations, Humour and the Tyranny of the New

Jun 30, 2004

Centre Article 033: The Benefits of a Minority Government

Jun 19, 2004

Centre Article 031: Reflections on the Leadership Debate: Section 33 is IN the Charter and NOT "Anti-Charter"

Jun 19, 2004

Centre Article 030: Why "Canadian Values" are Meaningless and We Should Beware of Those Who Use the Term

Jun 12, 2004

Centre Article 028: Senator Anne Cools Changes Parties

May 28, 2004

Centre Article 027: The Conduct of Soldiers and the Morals of Societies

May 18, 2004

Centre Article 026: Legal Cost Awards Against Individuals: A Chill to Defending Rights

May 10, 2004

Centre Article 025: The Dalai Lama in Vancouver and the Problem of "Secular Ethics"

Apr 16, 2004

Centre Article 024: Restricting Parent's Home Teaching of Religion to Their Children: How Democratic

Apr 12, 2004

Centre Article 023: Consensus With a Vengeance: More Judicial Language Abuse

Apr 7, 2004

Centre Article 022: Why the "Hate Crimes" Section of the Criminal Code Should be Abolished

Mar 19, 2004

Centre Article 021: The Freedom of Conscience in "Health" Care

Mar 9, 2004

Centre Article 020: Mel Gibson's Passion and the Critics

Mar 2, 2004

Centre Article 019: Indoctrination, Education and New Sexual Beliefs: Can We Learn to Accommodate Diversity?

Feb 27, 2004

Centre Article 018: What to Do When Two Allowable Views are Irreconcilable?

Feb 25, 2004

Centre Article 017: Constitutional Questions: The Charter Section 33 Going Both Ways

Feb 20, 2004

Centre Article 015: Three Cheers for the Catholics and EFC: Calling to Amend the Ontario Human Rights Code

Feb 20, 2004

Centre Article 016: "Beyond Tolerance", "Transformative Change" and Queer Studies in Education

Feb 19, 2004

Centre Article 013: First Things and the Reading of Second Rate Things

Feb 18, 2004

Centre Article 012: French Lunicity Watch: Religious Symbols

Feb 12, 2004

Centre Article 011: Claude Ryan: Faithful Catholic in Canada's Public Life

Feb 2, 2004

Centre Article 010: Federal Government Arguments in the Marriage Cases: Strange and Changing Position(s)

Jan 28, 2004

Centre Article 009: Supreme Court and the Definition of Marriage—A Real Question

Jan 24, 2004

Centre Article 008: Marriage: The More the Merrier?

Jan 22, 2004

Centre Article 007: Belinda Stronach - Blank Slate: What Politics Requires

Jan 21, 2004

Centre Article 006: The Difference Between Tolerance and Welcome

Jan 9, 2004

Centre Article 005: Suppression, Elevation and Accommodation of Diverse Beliefs

Dec 30, 2003

Centre Article 003: Christian Legislators and Same-sex Marriage: Parliament's Janus Face

Dec 30, 2003

Centre Article 004: Secularism and the Deeper Questions of Religion and Society

Dec 18, 2003

Centre Article 002: Sikhs, Turbans and Anti-Religious Dress Codes

Dec 10, 2003

Centre Article 001: Sharia Law Arbitration in Canada

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Cardus Audio

Oct 4, 2010

Iain Benson: A Legal-Political Perspective on Euthanasia

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