And while not all of us feel this way, for various reasons, some of my family too hold that faith very strongly. Now that the Supreme Court of Canada has ended the legal challenge several churches launched against Manitoba’s COVID-19 restrictions, a little understanding could prove an effective salve to the animosity left by the pandemic. Many faith organizations felt that religious organizations were being unfairly targeted compared to secular gatherings at restaurants or grocery stores. There’s no doubt that implementing restrictions violates Charter rights, but public health emergencies dictate the need. “Governments may appropriately subject religious gatherings to stricter regulations than certain secular activities precisely because religious gatherings pose risks that are different in degree and kind than those secular activities,” wrote the author, Misha Boutillier.
