Not Reserving Judgment

Canadian Constitution Foundation
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Not Reserving Judgment

In each episode of Not Reserving Judgment, Canadian Constitution Foundation Executive Director Joanna Baron, Litigation Director Christine Van Geyn, and Counsel Josh Dehaas walk you though the latest Canadian constitutional law headlines, update you on our litigation, and share our Bad Legal Takes of the Week.

  1. 2D AGO

    Episode 82: Did the Liberals violate election law by planting MAGA buttons?

    On Episode 82, we consider whether the Liberals' misleading MAGA buttons violated election laws; we discuss what to expect from Mark Carney on civil liberties if he wins on April 28; and we explain our argument at the Supreme Court on the right to inter-provincial travel. Stories and cases discussed in this week's episode: * Liberal operatives planted 'stop the steal' buttons at conservative conference (CBC News) (https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/liberal-oppo-csfn-1.7509217)* Victory for Canadian Constitution Foundation: court strikes down election censorship law (The CCF) (https://theccf.ca/victory-for-canadian-constitution-foundation-court-strikes-down-election-censorship-law/)* It’s time to end the sedition in Ottawa by enforcing the law and following the money (Globe and Mail) (https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/article-mark-carney-end-freedom-convoy-ottawa-state-of-emergency/)* CCF Takes Interprovincial Mobility Rights to Supreme Court of Canada (The CCF) (https://theccf.ca/?case=interprovincial-travel-case-intervention-taylor-v-canada)* Supreme Court to consider if COVID travel bans violated charter mobility rights after woman missed mother's funeral (National Post) (https://nationalpost.com/news/canada/covid-travel-bans-supreme-court-of-canada-charter-mobility-rights)* Poilievre vows to use notwithstanding clause to support consecutive murder sentences (CTV News) (https://www.ctvnews.ca/federal-election-2025/article/poilievre-will-use-notwithstanding-clause-to-pass-law-on-consecutive-murder-sentences/)Not Reserving Judgment is a podcast about Canadian constitutional law hosted by Josh Dehaas, Joanna Baron, and Christine Van Geyn. The show is brought to you by the Canadian Constitution Foundation, a non-partisan legal charity dedicated to defending rights and freedoms. To support our work, visit theccf.ca/donate.

    51 min

  2. APR 8

    Episode 81: Why we're taking UBC to court for its political activity

    On Episode 81, we discuss why we're taking UBC to court for its political activity, we walk you through an Ontario Court of Appeal decision that found Ontario's COVID-19 protest ban violated peaceful assembly, and we explain why McGill is breaking with its student union. Stories and cases discussed in this week's episode: * WARMINGTON: Why punish guy trying to free Sir John A. Macdonald from a box? (https://torontosun.com/news/local-news/warmington-why-punish-guy-trying-to-free-sir-john-a-macdonald-from-a-box)* McGill cuts contractual relationship with student union following pro-Palestinian protest (https://www.montrealgazette.com/news/article862192.html)* UBC professors taking school to court over ’political’ actions by administration (https://vancouversun.com/news/ubc-professors-school-court-over-political-actions-administration)* COVID-19 rules barring protests in 2021 were unconstitutional: Ontario’s top court (https://www.ctvnews.ca/windsor/article/covid-19-rules-barring-protests-in-2021-were-unconstitutional-ontarios-top-court/)* Homeowners with treeless yards in Quebec town risk $200 'tree police' tax (https://nationalpost.com/news/canada/saint-amable-treeless-tax)Not Reserving Judgment is a podcast about Canadian constitutional law hosted by Josh Dehaas, Joanna Baron, and Christine Van Geyn. The show is brought to you by the Canadian Constitution Foundation, a non-partisan legal charity dedicated to defending rights and freedoms. To support our work, visit theccf.ca/donate.

    48 min

  3. APR 2

    Episode 80: Judge finds gov't owes NOTHING to family of teen who died after vaccine

    On Episode 80, we tell you about a new citizenship law on a Saskatchewan First Nation that would allow people to be banned based on 'maturity,' and we walk you through a decision that found the government owed no duty of care to a boy who died after the COVID-19 vaccine. Stories and cases discussed in this week's episode: * Hartman v. Attorney General of Canada et al., 2025 ONSC 1831 (CanLII) (https://canlii.ca/t/kb6q0)* Test case on First Nation's citizenship law (Blacklock's) (https://www.blacklocks.ca/landmark-charter-case-okd/)* Carney says he will not repeal Liberals' anti-pipeline Bill C-69 (Western Standard) (https://www.westernstandard.news/news/breaking-carney-says-he-will-not-repeal-liberals-anti-pipeline-bill-c-69/63630)* Poilievre in Hamilton: Says he'll repeal Bill C-69, sometimes known as 'no more pipelines act' (CBC News) (https://www.cbc.ca/player/play/video/9.6703221)* Dickson v. Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation (SCC) (https://decisions.scc-csc.ca/scc-csc/scc-csc/en/item/20353/index.do)* Toronto District School Board v. Meta Platforms Inc., 2025 ONSC 1499 (https://www.canlii.org/en/on/onsc/doc/2025/2025onsc1499/2025onsc1499.html) Not Reserving Judgment is a podcast about Canadian constitutional law hosted by Josh Dehaas, Joanna Baron, and Christine Van Geyn. The show is brought to you by the Canadian Constitution Foundation, a non-partisan legal charity dedicated to defending rights and freedoms. To support our work, visit theccf.ca/donate.

    31 min

  4. MAR 26

    Episode 79: Why Poilievre didn't get a security clearance. Plus, can Carney tax oil exports?

    On Episode 79, we discuss why the NSICOP Act limits what Pierre Poilievre can say after he gets a security briefing, we tell you about the curious constitutional challenge to closing some of Ontario’s safe injection sites, and we consider the constitutionality of an export tax on oil.Stories and cases discussed in this week's episode:* Carney refuses to rule out export taxes on Alberta oil or Sask uranium and potash against US (Western Standard) (https://www.westernstandard.news/alberta/breaking-carney-refuses-to-rule-out-export-taxes-on-alberta-oil-or-sask-uranium-and-potash-against-us/63426)* Protecting Vulnerable Social Infrastructure By-law (City of Vaughan) (https://www.vaughan.ca/residential/by-laws-and-enforcement/protecting-vulnerable-social-infrastructure-by-law)* CSIS alleges India organized support for Poilievre’s 2022 Conservative leadership bid (https://www.theglobeandmail.com/politics/article-india-alleged-foreign-interference-pierre-poilievre-conservative/)* Re: Exported Natural Gas Tax, 1982 CanLII 189 (SCC), [1982] 1 SCR 1004 (CanLii) (https://canlii.ca/t/1z1cb)* Ontario consumption sites free to relocate, court hears, contrary to past statements (CP24) (https://www.cp24.com/politics/queens-park/2025/03/25/ontario-consumption-sites-free-to-relocate-court-hears-contrary-to-past-statements/)* Supreme Court to hear challenge of law that curbs spy watchdog members (CBC News) (https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/supreme-court-nsicop-case-1.7395990)* National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians Act, SC 2017, c 15 (CanLii) (https://www.canlii.org/en/ca/laws/stat/sc-2017-c-15/latest/sc-2017-c-15.html#sec12_smooth)Not Reserving Judgment is a podcast about Canadian constitutional law hosted by Josh Dehaas, Joanna Baron, and Christine Van Geyn.The show is brought to you by the Canadian Constitution Foundation, a non-partisan legal charity dedicated to defending rights and freedoms. To support our work, visit theccf.ca/donate.

    54 min

  5. MAR 19

    Episode 78: B.C. premier's power grab, nurse DISCIPLINED for speech & hate charges in TO

    On Episode 78, we discuss the B.C. premier's apparent power grab (Bill 7); we explain why it was wrong to discipline B.C. nurse Amy Hamm for her off-duty speech about sex; and we tell you about hate crime charges in Toronto. Plus, our thoughts on Mahmoud Khalil's deportation.Stories and cases discussed in this week's episode:* CCF to Premier Eby: Reconsider Bill 7’s Brazen Power Grab (https://theccf.ca/ccf-to-premier-eby-reconsider-bill-7s-brazen-power-grab/)* Amy Hamm: I spoke the truth about women's rights. That isn't professional misconduct (https://nationalpost.com/opinion/amy-hamm-i-spoke-the-truth-about-womens-rights-that-isnt-professional-misconduct) (National Post)* B.C. College of Nurses and Midwives v Amy Eileen Hamm (https://www.bccnm.ca/Documents/complaints/2025_03_13_BCCNM_Hamm_Decision.pdf) (BCCNM)* Man Charged with Advocating Genocide and 28 other charges in Hate Crime Investigation (https://www.tps.ca/media-centre/news-releases/62343/) (Toronto Police)* Man faces rare charge of advocating genocide against Jewish community, Toronto police say (https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/man-faces-rare-charge-of-advocating-genocide-against-jewish-community-toronto-police-say-1.7486051) (CBC News)* In Re George Edwin Gray, 1918 CanLII 533 (SCC), 57 SCR 150 (https://www.canlii.org/en/ca/scc/doc/1918/1918canlii533/1918canlii533.html) (CanLii)* The B.C. government’s Bill 7 is an indefensible power grab (https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/article-the-bc-governments-bill-7-is-an-indefensible-power-grab/) (Globe and Mail)* Mahmoud Khalil Is an Easy Call (https://reason.com/2025/03/13/mahmoud-khalil-is-an-easy-call/) (Reason)Not Reserving Judgment is a podcast about Canadian constitutional law hosted by Josh Dehaas, Joanna Baron, and Christine Van Geyn.The show is brought to you by the Canadian Constitution Foundation, a non-partisan legal charity dedicated to defending rights and freedoms. To support our work, visit theccf.ca/donate.

    55 min

  6. MAR 13

    Episode 77: Ontario man must pay drag performers $380K for 'groomer' comments

    On Episode 77, we tell you why an Ontario man has to pay drag performers $380,000 for his 'groomer' comments, we discuss the constitutional limits of PM Carney's position, and we explain why the new election spending decision was not 'Canada's Citizen's United.'Stories and cases discussed in this week's episode:* Man must pay $380K for ‘hate speech’ on his northern Ont. Facebook page (https://www.ctvnews.ca/northern-ontario/article/man-must-pay-380k-for-hate-speech-on-his-northern-ont-facebook-page/)* Howard Anglin: The constitutional limits on Carney’s powers as prime minister (https://thehub.ca/2025/03/10/howard-anglin-the-constitutional-limits-on-carneys-powers-as-prime-minister/)* Top court finds Ontario spending limits on 3rd-party election ads unconstitutional (https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/ontario-election-advertising-supreme-court-ruling-1.7477371)* Ontario (Attorney General) v. Working Families Coalition (Canada) Inc. (https://decisions.scc-csc.ca/scc-csc/scc-csc/en/item/20896/index.do)* Pro-Palestine Protesters Acquitted, Launch Charter Rights Challenge (https://vocm.com/2025/03/11/student-protest-palestine/)Not Reserving Judgment is a podcast about Canadian constitutional law hosted by Josh Dehaas, Joanna Baron, and Christine Van Geyn.The show is brought to you by the Canadian Constitution Foundation, a non-partisan legal charity dedicated to defending rights and freedoms. To support our work, visit theccf.ca/donate.

    33 min

  7. MAR 6

    Episode 76: Ontario man WINS another chance to defend his naturalized garden in court

    On Episode 76, we explain what happened in an appeal of Mississauga's decision to mow down a man's naturalized garden; we update you on our Calgary anti-protest bylaw challenge; and we tell you about a teacher bragging about keeping kids from reading about Elon Musk.Stories and cases discussed in this week's episode:* Ruck v. Mississauga (City), 2025 ONCA 147 (CanLII) (https://www.chch.com/chch-news/st-catharines-election-signs-bylaw-2025/)* Ruck v. City of Mississauga, 2024 ONSC 2579 (CanLII) (https://canlii.ca/t/k4fd6)* Teacher-Librarian trashes Elon Musk book (https://x.com/ChanLPfa/status/1896940594598953268)* Ontario Court of Appeal sends decision on homeowner’s naturalized garden back to lower court (https://theccf.ca/ontario-court-of-appeal-sends-decision-on-homeowners-naturalized-garden-back-to-lower-court/)* Legal challenge over Calgary's protest bylaw heads to court (https://calgaryherald.com/news/local-news/legal-challenge-calgary-protest-bylaw-court)Not Reserving Judgment is a podcast about Canadian constitutional law hosted by Josh Dehaas, Joanna Baron, and Christine Van Geyn.The show is brought to you by the Canadian Constitution Foundation, a non-partisan legal charity dedicated to defending rights and freedoms. To support our work, visit theccf.ca/donate.

    32 min

  8. FEB 26

    Episode 75: Special update on Calgary battle over free expression

    In lieu of our regular programming this week, we're sharing Litigation Director Christine van Geyn's recap of yesterday's court hearing on the City of Calgary's ban on specified protests outside of recreational centres and libraries. We'll be back next week with a regular episode!

    39 min
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    About

    In each episode of Not Reserving Judgment, Canadian Constitution Foundation Executive Director Joanna Baron, Litigation Director Christine Van Geyn, and Counsel Josh Dehaas walk you though the latest Canadian constitutional law headlines, update you on our litigation, and share our Bad Legal Takes of the Week.

    Information

    • Creator
      Canadian Constitution Foundation
    • Years Active
      2023 - 2025
    • Episodes
      85
    • Rating
      Clean
    • Copyright
      © Copyright 2025 Not Reserving Judgment
    • Show Website
      Not Reserving Judgment

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