Campaign Life Coalition challenges New Brunswick human rights rulings over Policy 713 and transgender school flyers
One flyer defended parental notification and consent under the province's former Policy 713, which governed the use of preferred names and pronouns in schools, while the other criticized the teaching of transgender-related topics in classrooms.
Campaign Life Coalition is asking the New Brunswick Court of King's Bench to overturn two decisions by the New Brunswick Human Rights Commission that sent complaints about its political flyers to a Board of Inquiry, arguing the Commission violated the organization's Charter-protected right to freedom of expression.
The applications for judicial review, filed by lawyers funded by the Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms (JCCF), challenge the Commission's April 23, 2026, decisions to refer complaints stemming from two flyer campaigns distributed across New Brunswick in August 2024.
Following the distribution of the flyers, two New Brunswick residents filed separate complaints with the New Brunswick Human Rights Commission. At that stage of the process, the Commission's role was to determine whether there was an arguable case of discrimination warranting a hearing before a Board of Inquiry. The Commission concluded that both complaints should proceed.
Campaign Life Coalition argues that the Commission failed to apply binding Supreme Court of Canada jurisprudence governing discriminatory expression and instead allowed complaints based on protected political speech to proceed.
The applications also allege the Commission breached procedural fairness by allowing the complainants to amend their complaints after Campaign Life Coalition had already filed its responses and written submissions.
According to the court filings, the flyers addressed matters of public policy during an election period, placing them among the most strongly protected forms of expression under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The organization argues that human rights legislation is not intended to prohibit political advocacy or expression merely because it causes offence or hurt feelings.
"Campaign Life Coalition was engaged in political speech, which is the most protected form of expression in our constitutional system," said constitutional lawyer Hatim Kheir, who is acting for the organization. "We are asking the Court to provide guidance to the Human Rights Commission to ensure that free expression is properly protected."
The respondents will now have an opportunity to file evidence in response to the applications before the matter proceeds in the Court of King's Bench.
Sheila Gunn Reid
Chief Reporter
Sheila Gunn Reid is the Editor-in-Chief, Alberta Bureau Chief, member of the board of directors, and host of The Gunn Show at Rebel News. Sheila also serves as President of the Independent Press Gallery of Canada. A mother of three and longtime conservative activist, Sheila is the author of bestselling books, including her most recent release, Independence Blueprint: What Alberta Can Learn From Quebec.
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COMMENTS
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Fran g commented 2026-08-07 14:26:35 -0400Canada is a disgrace, thanks to trudumb and carnage etc -
G. Vaughan commented 2026-08-06 20:13:32 -0400I cannot remember ever having the opportunity to vote for a Human Rights (?) Commissioner, drivers of the Discrimination/Exclusion/Inequality rulings. Canada’s version of democracy – no recall, no referendum, no property rights, but appointed Human Rights(?) Commissioners, judges, RCMP Commissioner. Charter of Rights and Freedoms, until the unelected rule otherwise.
