Free to Believe: Rethinking Freedom of Conscience and Religion in Canada

Free to Believe investigates the protection for freedom of conscience and religion - the first of the "fundamental freedoms" listed in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms - and its interpretation in the courts. Through an examination of decided cases that touches on the most controversial issues of our day, such as abortion, same-sex marriage, and minority religious practices, Mary Anne Waldron examines how the law has developed in the way that it has, the role that freedom of conscience and religion play in our society, and the role it could play in making it a more open, peaceful, and democratic place. While the range of cases explored will be of interest to scholars, Free to Believe is also written in an accessible style, with legal terms and concepts explained for those who wish to learn accurate, detailed information about the impact of the law on contemporary social policy issues. As such, this book widens the debate about this fundamental freedom and the influence of public opinion on what is often a misrepresented and misunderstood issue.

Chapter One: Introduction: How Freedom of Conscience and Religion Are Protected and Why It Matters Chapter Two: Early Cases: Getting Off on the Wrong Foot Chapter Three: Culture Wars: Majority versus Minority Values Chapter Four: When Religion and Politics Intertwine Chapter Five: Human Rights: A Zero Sum Game? Chapter Six: Conflicting Rights: A Balancing Act? Chapter Seven: Freedom of Conscience: The Forgotten Human Right Chapter Eight: Can We Change? (And Why We Should) Bibliography