Commission scolaire Marguerite‑Bourgeoys, 1 S.C.R. 825 at paragraph 72 Amselem, supra at paragraph 40 Reference re Same-Sex Marriage, 3 S.C.R. Freedom of religion Generalįreedom of religion has been defined as “the right to entertain such religious beliefs as a person chooses, the right to declare religious beliefs openly and without fear of hindrance or reprisal, and the right to manifest religious belief by worship and practise or by teaching and dissemination” ( Big M, supra at page 336 Ross v. Hutterian Brethren of Wilson Colony, 2 S.C.R. The purpose of section 2(a) is to prevent interference with profoundly held personal beliefs that govern one’s perception of oneself, humankind, nature, and, in some cases, a higher or different order of being (R. See also the following international, regional and comparative law instruments that are not legally binding on Canada but include similar provisions: article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, article 12 of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, article 12 of the American Convention on Human Rights, article 9 of the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, and the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States of America. The Canadian Human Rights Act prohibits discrimination on the ground of religion as does section 15 of the Charter. Similar provisions may be found in the following Canadian laws and international instruments legally binding on Canada: section 1(c) of the Canadian Bill of Rights, article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, article 14 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, article 3 of the American Declaration of the Rights and Duties of Man. Everyone has the following fundamental freedoms:

Freedome of religion