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Canadian Appeals Court Permits Religious Groups' Intervention In Prostitution Law Challenge

By Howard M. Friedman

According to today's Toronto Globe & Mail, the Court of Appeal for Ontario this week reversed a decision of a Canadian trial judge and has permitted two religious groups and a conservative women's group to intervene in a case challenging the constitutionality of several of Ontario's anti-prostitution laws. The challengers argue that prostitution laws violate a constitutional guarantee to life, liberty and security by exposing sex workers to danger. A 3-judge panel of the appeals court ruled that the Christian Legal Fellowship, REAL Women of Canada and the Catholic Civil Rights League have a legitimate contribution to make to an issue that has moral dimensions. The challengers had objected to the groups' intervention, arguing that the case involves the health and safety of sex trade workers, and not moral questions. (See prior related posting.)

Full post as published by Religion Clause on September 23, 2009 (boomark / email).