Religious Freedom
We suggest:
- Religious freedom is foundational to a vibrant pluralism and functioning democracy.
- Canadians have constitutionally guaranteed freedoms of conscience and religion, of thought, belief, opinion, and expression, and of association.
- Canadians should exercise these freedoms in their private lives and in the public square, without fear and “subject only to such reasonable limits prescribed by law as can be demonstrably justified in a free and democratic society” (Charter).
- The Crown, legislatures, media, professional associations, and other institutions should recognize, affirm, and respect these freedoms.
Supporting Research
Start Here
April 3, 2020
This paper aims to provide a historical context for why freedom of religion and conscience is foundational to Canadian democracy, diversity, pluralism, and to our common life as human beings living in this place, this Canada.
Andrew Bennett,
Aaron Neil
October 28, 2019
“Know thyself.”
This ancient Greek maxim is popular today, but also widely misunderstood. Self knowledge goes deeper than awareness of your likes, dislikes, and personal interests. To know who you are, is to know what you are.
What kind of being am I? What does it mean to be human? Do I have dignity? Who Are You? Reaffirming Human Dignity from the Cardus Religious Freedom Institute will help you answer these questions.
Andrew Bennett,
Johanna Lewis
March 16, 2023
Leaders at all levels need to do more to reduce hate crimes against Canada’s religious communities. That call comes from Toward a Hopeful Future: Facing Down Religious Hate, a Cardus research brief, which notes that religious hate crimes annually reported to Canadian police more than doubled between 2009 and 2021.
Special Projects
Anglosphere Project
Welcome to the Anglosphere Project! This project seeks to educate citizens about the long history of religious freedom in the United Kingdom, the United States, and Canada. We hope to reaffirm the centrality of this fundamental freedom to our institutions and to our common life as citizens.
Browse the timeline now: https://religiousfoundation.org/
Explorations
June 22, 2021
Join us as we Exit COVID: Toward what matters most.
Andrew Bennett
June 10, 2021
The killing of a Muslim family in the southwestern Ontario city demands empathy for the victims, but also renewed commitment to freedom of faith, Father Deacon Andrew Bennett writes.
Ray Pennings
May 31, 2021
After last week’s online National Prayer Breakfast, Cardus Executive Vice President Ray Pennings reflected in his weekly Insights newsletter on how to pray in public – and pluralistic – spaces. Convivium reprints his text.
Media Coverage
March 20, 2023
Rev. Dr. Andrew Bennett, faith communities program director at Cardus, is calling on leaders at all levels to do more to reduce hate crimes against Canada’s religious communities. He took that message to The Mike Farwell Show on City News 570 in Kitchener, ON.
March 19, 2023
Religious hate crimes annually reported to Canadian police more than doubled between 2009 and 2021, according to a Cardus research brief. Brian Dijkema, vice-president of external affairs at Cardus, tells AM640 in Toronto it's time for leaders to take a stronger stand.
Photo by Priscilla Du Preez on Unsplash
March 6, 2023
The Law Society of Ontario is heading into an April election where its controversial “statement of principles” about diversity and inclusion is front and centre. As the ideological conflict heats up, Brian Dijkema, vice president of external affairs at Cardus, notes, "One of the gifts of democracy is that you should not actually have to have a political opinion all the time."
Religious Freedom
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What else are we working toward?
Strong Family Projects
Human Dignity Projects
Religious Freedom Projects
Healthy Community Projects
Formative Education Projects
Recent Projects
Strong Family Projects
Human Dignity Projects
Religious Freedom Projects
Healthy Community Projects
Formative Education Projects
Recent Projects
Strong Family Projects
Human Dignity Projects
Religious Freedom Projects
Healthy Community Projects
Formative Education Projects
Recent Projects
Strong Family Projects
Human Dignity Projects
Religious Freedom Projects
Healthy Community Projects
Formative Education Projects
Recent Projects
Strong Family Projects
Human Dignity Projects
Religious Freedom Projects
Healthy Community Projects
Formative Education Projects
Recent Projects
Strong Family Projects
Human Dignity Projects
Religious Freedom Projects
Healthy Community Projects
Formative Education Projects
Recent Projects