December 5, 2006

“The Harper Conservative Government’s cancellation of funding for the Court Challenges Program restricts the ability of Canadian women, Francophones, and Acadians to advance their constitutional rights,” said Charlottetown Senator Percy Downe.

“Established in 1978, the Court Challenges Program has allowed ordinary Canadians to oppose laws that infringe upon gender and language rights,” continued Downe.

Challenging the Constitutionality of Federal and Provincial laws is too expensive for individuals to undertake on their own. Without this program, women and minority groups will not have access to the courts when their rights are violated.

The Court Challenges Program played an integral role in ensuring Francophone schools exist in Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland.

“Francophone parents in Summerside relied upon the services of the Court Challenges Program to secure the construction of a French-language school in their community. However, with the cancellation of the Program, children in Rustico and West Prince are unlikely to be afforded the same opportunity to receive a full education equivalent in quality to that offered to the linguistic majority.”

“The Conservative Government should recognize advancing the rights of Canada’s women and minorities is fundamental for achieving a more equitable country and should immediately reinstate the funding for the Court Challenges Program.”

Senator Downe has written directly to Prime Minister Harper requesting that funding be restored to this important Program.