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Canadian Constitution Foundation

Canadian Constitution Foundation (CCF)

Background

The Canadian Constitution Foundation (CCF) describes itself as a “registered charity, independent and non-partisan, whose mission is to defend the constitutional freedoms of Canadians.”1Homepage, Canadian Constitution Foundation. Archived August 2, 2022. Archive URL:https://archive.ph/igvly

While CCF describes itself as “non-partisan” it has consistently opposed measures put in place by the Liberal government.2“This is how to double your impact this summer defending liberty,” Canadian Constitution Foundation, July 13, 2022. Archived August 3, 2022. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/xUqvX

“Our programs focus on providing pro-bono legal assistance to individuals whose freedoms have been violated by government—whether at the federal, provincial or municipal level, ” CCF declared in its annual report.3“Freedom’s Defence Team 2011 Year in Review,” Canadian Constitution Foundation. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.

A number of employees with CCF including its litigation director Christine Van Geyn have been associated with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation.4(Press Release). “Changing of the Guard at Canadian Taxpayers Federation,” Canadian Taxpayers Federation, October 22, 2014. Archived October 27, 2022.

Stance on Climate Change

Funding

The Canadian Constitution Foundation (CCF) is registered as a Canadian charity with charitable Registration number 86617 6654 RR0001 and as a 501(c)(3) in the U.S. with EIN 98-0677622.

The following is based on requests of publicly available funding data from the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) for donations from 2003 to 2021.

View the attached spreadsheet to see all donations to the Canadian Constitution Foundation by year (.xslx).

DonorTotal Gifts
The Sixty Three Foundation$1,700,000
Aurea Foundation$1,675,000
Weston Family Foundation / Fondation De La Famille Weston$830,000
Lotte And John Hecht Memorial Foundation$700,000
The Gwyn Morgan And Patricia Trottier Foundation$665,000
Donner Canadian Foundation$617,295
Von Mandl Family Foundation$605,000
Canadian Constitution Fund$417,000
The John Dobson Foundation$305,000
Milan & Maureen Ilich Foundation$250,000
Peter & Joanne Brown Foundation$210,000
Beedie Foundation$200,000
Walsh Foundation$150,000
The Houssian Foundation$100,000
The Schulich Foundation$100,000
The Dunkley Charitable Foundation$80,000
United Way Of Greater Toronto$66,040
Pirie Foundation Non-Profit Priv Asso$65,800
Armstrong Family Foundation$65,000
The Wilson Foundation La Fondation Wilson$50,000
Canada Gives$50,000
Raindrop Foundation$50,000
Chimp: Charitable Impact Foundation (Canada)$30,046
Nicola Wealth Private Giving Foundation$27,000
Timothy C. Kerr Family Foundation$25,000
Lynwood Family Foundation$25,000
Nicola Family Foundation$25,000
The Canadian Bar Law For The Future Fund/Le Fonds Du Barreaucanadien Pour Le Droit De Demain$25,000
The Highbury Foundation$25,000
Canadahelps Canadon$24,864
The Morris And Helen Belkin Foundation$20,000
M-E Squared Foundation$16,000
The Douglas Family Foundation$12,500
Toronto Foundation$10,000
View West Foundation$10,000
The Mottershead Foundation$10,000
Mel And Geri Davis Charitable Trust$8,000
Nathan And Lily Silver Family Foundation$6,000
The Cedarhurst Foundation$5,000
The Bfmi Sesquicentennial Trust (2017)$3,000
Link Charity Canada Inc$2,600
H W Siebens Charitable Foundation$2,500
Abundance Canada$2,500
The Victoria Foundation$2,103
Aqueduct Foundation$2,000
Charitable Gift Funds Canada Foundation / Fonds De Bienfaisance Canada$2,000
Jesse & Julie Rasch Foundation$1,800
The Calgary Foundation$1,166
Millennium Educational & Research Charitable Foundation$1,000
The B.I. Ghert Family Foundation$1,000
The Morris And Beverly Baker Foundation$1,000
Canadian Online Giving Foundation/Fondation Canadienne De Dons En Ligne$914
United Way Of Calgary And Area$900
G & M Masters Foundation$900
United Way Of Saskatoon And Area$850
Vancity Community Foundation$773
United Way East Ontario / Centraide Est De L’Ontario$768
Pieter De Reuver Foundation$740
Cenovus Employee Foundation$600
Christian Stewardship Services$500
The Daniel Klemke Foundation$500
Private Giving Foundation$252
The Rising Light Foundation$250
Charities Aid Foundation Canada$190
Telus Employees Charitable Trust$100
Paypal Giving Fund Canada$51
Grand Total$9,286,502

In addition to publicly disclosed donations by charities, CCF also lists select donors in its annual reports (see below), although many remain anonymous:

Individual Donors

Name20062007200820092010201120122014
A. R. Deane Nesbitt1
Alexandra Brooks-Hill1
Andy Crooks111
Barry Graham11
Bill Gladu1
Brian D. Peterson1
Chris Brodeur1
Claus Jensen111
Cliff Hatch1
Danny P. Goel1
Darius Viskontas1
David and Joanne McDonald1
Douglas Gould1
Douglas Mark1
Garfield Mitchell1
Gerald McKay1
Gwyn Morgan11
Gyl Midroni1
Howard and Bonnie Black11
Jack Quartel1
Jane McKay1
Jerry van Zuuk1
Joel Hughes1
John Carpay11
Karen Selick1111
Kenneth H.W. Hilborn111111
Lisa La Horey1
Mark W. Mitchell111111
Marni Soupcoff1
Marshall Copithorne1
Michael Freiesleben1
Michael Walker11111
Moin A. Yahya111
Monique Beaumont1
Paul Einarsson11
Richard Holbrook11
Rob Anders1
Roger Phillips1
Roy Eappen1
Sarah Mitchell1
Tim Melton1
Will Johnston111111

Organization Donors

Name20062007200820092010201120122014
Alberta Arms and Cartridge Collectors Association1
Atlas Economic Research Foundation1111
Aurea Foundation11111
DI McDonald Holdings1
Donner Canadian Foundation111111
Geophysical Service Incorporated1
Jewish Federation of Greater Vancouver1
Kamloops Surgical Centre1
Lansdowne Equity Ventures Ltd.11
Lotte and John Hecht Memorial Foundation1111111
Medcan Health Management Inc.1
Omni HandCare Center1
Peter & Joanne Brown Foundation1
Pirie Foundation1111
Raw Milk Legal Defence Fund in Trust (Glencolton cowshare members and friends)1
Ronald A. Krieger Charitable Foundation1
Society for Academic Freedom and Scholarship1
The B.I. Ghert Family Foundation1
The Gwyn Morgan and Patricia Trottier Foundation11
The Law Foundation of Ontario1
The Weston A. Price Foundation1
thetubestore Inc.11
W. Garfield Weston Foundation111111

Charity Returns

Annual Reports

Key People

View the attached spreadsheet for a full listing of key Canadian Constitution Foundation people by year (.xlsx).

Board of Directors

Andrew Coyne

Coyne is a columnist at The Globe and Mail,8“Andrew Coyne,”The Globe and Mail. Archived September 28, 2022. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/3Izxw former editor of Maclean’s magazine, and a past contributor to the National Post. Coyne has been a director of the Aurea Foundation, which has funded a variety of free-market think tanks in Canada and has described itself as the “sister foundation” of the Munk Foundation. The Aurea Foundation has funded The Fraser Institute, the Atlantic Institute for Market Studies, the Frontier Center for Public Policy, the Montreal Economic Institute, and the MacDonald Laurier Institute (MLI) among others.

DeSmog previously reported on Andrew Coyne’s connections to a variety of free market think tanks.9Kevin Grandia. “Andrew Coyne’s Connections to Free Market Think Tanks; Disclosure Lacking,” DeSmog, September 24, 2012.

Coyne has previously referenced MLI studies10“Postmedia columnist Andrew Coyne writes about MLI study on provincial solvency,” MLI, October 30, 2012. Archived August 3, 2022. Archive URL:https://archive.ph/xPixB and called MLI “a fine organization that does lots of valuable work, even if you disagree with their findings.”11“The Aurea Foundation board was disbanded in December 2016...” Twitter post by user “@acoyne”, July 31, 2018. Archived .png on file at DeSmog.

Charity information publicly available through the Canada Revenue Agency shows that Coyne is a director of the Energy Probe Research Foundation, a group founded and managed by climate change denier Lawrence Solomon.12“Our Staff,” Energy Probe. Archived August 4, 2022. Archive URL:https://archive.ph/WeQsU

Andy Crooks

Andy Crooks was chairman of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation at the same time Jason Kenney served as its spokesperson in the 1990s.15Dave Cournoyer.”VP Weissenberger, Agent-General Rodney and the ABCs of patronage,”daveberta.ca, July 18, 2020. Crooks has chaired a group of “self-described ‘volunteer lawyers’ who support the Wildrose or PCs” titled the Alberta Conservative Consolidation Committee.16Robson Fletcher. “Conservative lawyers say Wildrose and PC parties can merge funds but Elections Alberta disagrees,” CBC News, March 20, 2017. Archived August 3, 2022. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/n1yuC

The Wildrose Party later merged with the Progressive Conservative party to become the United Conservative Party of Alberta.17Michelle Bellefontaine. “Alberta’s Wildrose, PCs agree to create new United Conservative Party,” CBC News, May 18, 2017. Archived October 27, 2022.

Brad Dunkley

  • Waratah Capital Advisors Ltd. – Co-Founder, Chief Investment Officer, Chief Risk Officer and Portfolio Manager18“Brad Dunkley,” LinkedIn. Accessed August 2022. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.

Brad Dunkley is co-founder of Waratah Capital Advisors, a hedge fund manager.19“Brad Dunkley,” Bloomberg. Accessed August 3, 2022.

Christopher Schafer

Executive director of the Canadian Constitution Foundation from 2010 to 2014, Christopher Schafer previously worked as a public policy researcher and writer for Koch-funded libertarian think tanks including the Fraser Institute and before that, the Cato Institute. He briefly worked as an on-air legal contributor for the now-defunct Sun Media, a television network that notably hosted “ethical oil” proponent Ezra Levant.23“Christopher Schafer,” LinkedIn. Accessed August 2022. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.

Claus Jensen

Before stepping down from his role as director, Claus Jensen was described as “one of the original founders who helped organize the CCF.”24“Thank you, Claus!” Canadian Constitution Foundation, August 2, 2018. Archived August 3, 2022. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/QRtfD

Daniel Burns

  • Addenda Capital – Director (2007 – 2013)
  • Central 1 Credit Union – Director and chair (2005 – 2015)
  • Coast Capital Savings – Director (2005 – 2015)
  • Credit Union Central of Canada – Director and chair (2006 – 2016)
  • Co-operative Development Foundation of Canada – Director (2006 – 2017)
  • World Council of Credit Unions – Director and chair (2006 – 2017)
  • Accend Capital Corporation – Director (2007 – 2017)
  • Director of a variety of other groups after stepping down and CCF

Daniel Burns is a self-employed Vancouver-area lawyer. He was a director at CCF from 2005 to 2007. During those years he was a director at a variety of credit unions and other institutions.25“Daniel Burns,” LinkedIn. Accessed August 2022. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.

Dwight Newman

Dwight Newman is a Professor of Law and Canada Research Chair in Indigenous Rights in Constitutional and International Law at the University of Saskatchewan. He is Munk Senior Fellow in Constitutional Law at the Macdonald-Laurier Institute, a group whose Aboriginal Canada and Natural Resource Economy has focused on boosting acceptance of resource development with Indigenous communities.30“Dwight Newman,” MLI. Archived August 3, 2022. Archive URL:https://archive.ph/FUlRq

The Fraser Institute lists Newman as a visiting fellow at the Property and Environment Research Center (PERC), a group that promotes “Free Market Environmentalism.” 31“Dwight Newman,” Fraser Institute. Archived August 3, 2022. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/pdLGk 32“FREE MARKET ENVIRONMENTALISM,” PERC. Archived October 8, 2016. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/gHZJu

Newman has published a variety work relating to Indigenous peoples and resource development including The Duty to Consult: New Relationships with Aboriginal Peoples (Purich/UBC, 2009), Community and Collective Rights: A Theoretical Framework for Rights Held by Groups (Hart/Bloomsbury, 2011), Natural Resource Jurisdiction in Canada (LexisNexis, 2013), Revisiting the Duty to Consult Aboriginal Peoples (Purich/UBC, 2014), among others.33“Dr. Dwight Newman,” The Federalist Society. Archived August 4, 2022. Archive URL:https://archive.ph/B0Mnc

According to his profile at the Federalist Society, “His forthcoming books include Mining Law of Canada (LexisNexis), an edited collection on Business Implications of Aboriginal Law (LexisNexis), and the Edward Elgar Research Handbook on the International Law of Indigenous Rights (Edward Elgar).”34“Dr. Dwight Newman,” The Federalist Society. Archived August 4, 2022. Archive URL:https://archive.ph/B0Mnc

Ehor Boyanowsky

Ehor Boyanowsky is a criminal psychologist and professor at Simon Fraser University in British Columbia.35“Ehor Boyanowsky,” Douglas & McIntyre. Archived August 4, 2022. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/c1JW2

Eleanor Nicholls

Eleanor Nicholls is a director of the libertarian Fraser Institute as well as other free-market groups such as the Montreal Economic Institute, and the Canadian Freedom Institute.

The Montreal Economics Institute has been a Canadian member of the Atlas Network and its president Michel Kelly-Gagnon is a member of Civitas.

Glenn Fox

  • Fraser Institute – Former fellow.39“Glenn Fox,” LinkedIn. Accessed August 2022. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.
  • Energy Probe Research Foundation – Board member since 200540“Glenn Fox,” LinkedIn. Accessed August 2022. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.

Glenn Fox is a professor at the University of Guelph where he teaches “environmental economics law and policy (FARE 1040), resource economics (FARE 4310) and the methodologies of economics (FARE 6100)”.41“Glenn Fox,” University of Guelph. Archived August 8, 2022. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/CsSTv 42“Glenn Fox,” LinkedIn. Accessed August 2022. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.

Fox is also a director of climate change denier Lawrence Solomon‘s Energy Probe Research Foundation.43“Glenn Fox,” LinkedIn. Accessed August 2022. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.

Hugh Meighen

  • Institute for Research on Public Policy (IRPP) – Former research assistant (2005 – 2006).44“Hugh Meighen,” LinkedIn. Accessed September 2022. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.
  • Borden Ladner Gervais LLP (BLG) – Partner, international arbitration.45“Hugh Meighen,” LinkedIn. Accessed September 2022. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.

Hugh Meighen is a Toronto lawyer and partner at the law firm Borden Ladner Gervais LLP as well as an adjunct professor at York University’s Osgoode Hall Law School.46“Hugh Meighen,” LinkedIn. Accessed September 2022. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.

Kasra Nejatian

  • Jason Kenney – Former staffer
  • Shopify – Vice president, merchant services.47“Kaz Nejatian,” LinkedIn. Accessed August 2022. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.
  • Facebook – former lead product manager.48“Kaz Nejatian,” LinkedIn. Accessed August 2022. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.

Kasra Nejatian is premier Jason Kenney’s former staffer, while Kenney was still immigration minister of Alberta.49Steven Chase. “Lawyer says Kenney’s office tried to intimidate him over Conrad Black comments,” The Globe and Mail, July 31, 2012. Archived August 9, 2022. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/HA2eN The National Post described Nejatian as “extremely Conservative,” and Kenney described him as “one of the most hawkish people I know on national security and integration.”50Tristin Hopper. “The job-creating, anti-extremist Canadian Conservative with a maple leaf tattoo now banned from the U.S.” National Post, January 30, 2017. Archived August 9, 2022.Nejatian formed his own tech company, Kash, which he later sold to a public payment company. While listed as director at CCF in 2018, he worked as lead product manager at Facebook. And while CCF director in 2020, he started working at Shopify where he went on to be vice president of merchant services.51“Kaz Nejatian,” LinkedIn. Accessed August 2022. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.

Lisa La Horey

Lisa La Horey is an associate justice at the Ontario Superior Court of Justice. She was a partner at McCague Borlack LLP from 1994 to 2015.52“Lisa La Horey,” LinkedIn. Accessed August 2022. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.

Mark Cameron

  • Canadians for Clean Prosperity – Executive director.53“Mark Cameron,” Policy Options. Archived August 9, 2022. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/wippo
  • Prime minister Stephen Harper – Senior policy advisor and director of policy and research (2006 to 2009).54“Mark Cameron,” Policy Options. Archived August 9, 2022. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/wippo
  • Pathways Alliance – Vice president, external relations (since June 2022)55“Mark Cameron,” LinkedIn. Accessed August 2022. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.
    • Oil Sands Pathways to Net Zero Alliance – Senior advisor (February – June 2022)56“Mark Cameron,” LinkedIn. Accessed August 2022. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.
  • Ontario Power Generation – Director, corporate affairs (2009 to 2011)57“Mark Cameron,” LinkedIn. Accessed August 2022. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.

Mark Cameron, via MEG Energy Corporation, began working as a senior advisor to the Oil Sands Pathways to Net Zero Alliance in February 2022.58“Mark Cameron,” LinkedIn. Accessed August 2022. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog. When the Oil Sands Pathways to Net Zero Alliance merged with Canada’s Oil Sands Innovation Alliance (COSIA) and the Oil Sands Community Alliance (OSCA), he served as vice president of external relations to the resulting group, Pathways Alliance.59“Key oil sands groups join forces under Pathways Alliance banner,” Pathways Alliance, June 15, 2022. Archived August 9, 2022. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/VVogT

Mark Mitchell

Mark W. Mitchell was a former chairman of CCF66“Canadian Constitution Foundation 2012 Annual Report” (PDF), Canadian Constitution Foundation. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog. and is president of Reliant Capital Limited. He is also a former vice-chairman of the Fraser Institute’s board of directors67“Who We Are: Board of Directors,” Fraser Institute. Archived July 27, 2011. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/aFXeo and a former trustee of the Free Market Research Foundation, the former name of the Fraser Institute Foundation, among other groups.68Federal Corporation Search for Fraser Institute Foundation, Government of Canada. Records on file at DeSmog.

Marni Soupcoff

  • R Street Institute – Former chairwoman.69“Marni Soupcoff,” LinkedIn. Accessed September 2022. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.
  • National Post – Columnist, former deputy comment editor.70“Marni Soupcoff,” LinkedIn. Accessed September 2022. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.
  • Institute for Justice – Former staff attorney.71“Marni Soupcoff,” LinkedIn. Accessed September 2022. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.

Marni Soupcoff has been a columnist with the National Post and was executive director of the Canadian Constitution Foundation from 2014 to 2016 according to her LinkedIn. From 2016 to 2021 she was chair of the R Street Institute.72“Marni Soupcoff,” LinkedIn. Accessed September 2022. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.

Michael Walker

Michael Walker was a founder of the Fraser Institute and its executive director from 1974 until 2005 and remains an honorary director.77“Michael Walker,” Fraser Institute. Archived September 8, 2022. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/uMz92 He has also been a director of the The Milton and Rose D. Friedman Foundation, later renamed EdChoice,78“Friedman Foundation Changes Name To Focus On Benefits Of Educational Choice,” Atlas Network, July 29, 2016. Archived September 8, 2022. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/xrAQ2 a group which has been listed as an Atlas Network partner.79“EDCHOICE,” Atlas Network. Archived March 26, 2019. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/sFuFy

Moin Yahya

According to Moin Yahya’s CV at the University of Alberta, outside of Academia he was acting commissioner for the Alberta Utilities Commission from 2012 to 2018. He was also formerly a summer research fellow at the Koch-funded Institute for Humane Studies in Arlington, VA, USA and was a teaching and research assistant at the Antonin Scalia Law School at George Mason University, one of the largest recipients of Koch funding in the United States. He received his JD from George Mason University and has been teaching law at the University of Alberta since 2003. 88“Yahya CV” (PDF), retrieved from University of Alberta. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog. 89“Moin Yahya, BA (Hons) (Alberta), MA (Alberta), PhD (Toronto), JD (George Mason),” University of Alberta. Archived September 9, 2022. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/OGAtC

Yahya has been a member of the Alberta Fair Deal Panel90“Fair Deal Panel,” Government of Alberta. Archived September 9, 2022. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/GIYjR established under Premier Jason Kenney to combat alleged barriers to Alberta’s economic development. Among the commitments under the platform were to repeal a provincial carbon tax, to strike down legislation that would slow pipeline development, and to “Create a $10 million litigation fund to support pro-development Indigenous communities in defending their right to be consulted on major energy projects.”91“Getting a fair deal for Alberta,” Government of Alberta, June 17, 2020. Archived September 9, 2022. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/GmIjj The Panel was announced by Jason Kenney at the Manning Centre (now Canada Strong and Free Network) conference “What’s Next?” on November 9. 2019.92“SPEECH: A fair deal now for Alberta within Canada,” Government of Alberta, November 9, 2019. Archived September 9, 2022. Archive URL:https://archive.ph/yJAG0

Monique Beaumont

Listed as a “Calgary community volunteer” in CCF’s 2006 annual report.

Patrick Donnelly

  • HudBay Minerals Inc. – Senior vice president, legal and organizational effectiveness.
  • TDL Group Corp. / Tim Hortons – Former corporate counsel (2007 to 2008).
  • Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP – Former associate lawyer (2001 – 2007).

According to his LinkedIn, Patrick Donnelly was senior vice president at the mining company HudBay Minerals Inc. while listed as a director on the CCF website from 2016 through 2018. He is described as a Calgary lawyer in an archive of CCF’s website.93“Board of Directors,” Canadian Constitution Foundation. Archived December 9, 2018. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/qgxDm

Paul Einarsson

Paul Einarsson is chairman and former COO of the Calgary-based oil and gas exploration service company Geophysical Service Incorporated.95“Chairman and COO,” Geophysical Service Incorporated. Archived September 9, 2022. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/JrTeJ

Rachel Curran

  • Former Prime Minister Stephen Harper – Director of policy.96“Rachel Curran,” LinkedIn. Accessed September 2022. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.
  • Harper & Associates – Senior associate (2016 – 2020).97“Rachel Curran,” LinkedIn. Accessed September 2022. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.
  • Facebook/Meta – Public policy manager.98“Rachel Curran,” LinkedIn. Accessed September 2022. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.
  • Wellington Advocacy Inc. – President (2019–2020).99“Rachel Curran,” LinkedIn. Accessed September 2022. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.

Rachel Curran has been described as a key advisor to former prime minister Stephen Harper.100“Interview – Rachel Curran,” CBC, November 29, 2019. Archived September 9, 2022. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/kkIyNAfter working in the Prime Minister’s office, she went to work at Stephen Harper’s consulting firm, Harper & Associates as a senior associate.101“Rachel Curran,” LinkedIn. Accessed September 2022. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.

According to her profile at Carleton University, while working as director of policy to the Prime Minister, she was “closely engaged in all matters involving the federal government, including foreign and defence policy, trade negotiations, economic affairs, immigration, transportation, energy and the environment, indigenous affairs, social development and intergovernmental relations.”102“Rachel Curran,” Carleton University Clayton H. Riddell Graduate Program in Political Mangement. Archived September 9, 2022. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/u80Bw

Will Johnston

Will Johnson is a family doctor in Vancouver. He chairs the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition of BC where he has advocated against assisted suicide.104Will Johnson. “The deadly problems surrounding euthanasia Bill C-14,” Church for Vancouver, April 28, 2016. Archived September 9, 2022. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/tnPzJ

Staff

Adam Revay

Prior to joining CCF as operations director, Adam Revay was VP of communications for the Wildrose Alliance Calgary-Buffalo Constituency Association, according to his LinkedIn.105“Adam Revay,” LinkedIn. Accessed September, 2022. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.

Christine Van Geyn

  • The News Forum – Host.106“Christine Van Geyn,” LinkedIn. Accessed September 2022. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.
  • Canadian Taxpayers Federation – Ontario Director (2015 – June 2020).

In addition to being litigation director for the CCF, Christine Van Geyn is a host at The News Forum, which has been described as a “conservative-friendly specialty channel” with the mandate “to provide viewers with politically balanced domestic and international perspectives, inclusive of a conservative counterbalance for the current media landscape.”107Connie Thiessen. “New conservative-friendly specialty channel ‘The News Forum’ makes its debut,” Broadcast Dialogue, September 30, 2020. Archived October 9, 2020. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/RjvTuShe previously worked as the Ontario Director and spokesperson for the Canadian Taxpayers Federation.108“Christine Van Geyn,” LinkedIn. Accessed September 2022. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.

Derek James From

Howard Anglin

Howard Anglin was acting chief of staff to Prime Minister Stephen Harper. He also served as chief of staff to Jason Kenney while Kenney was Minister of Citizenship and Immigration and returned to serve as principal secretary to Kenney while he was Premier.114“Howard Anglin,” Canadian Global Affairs Institute. Archived September 13, 2022. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/hCiWJ

Joanna Baron

Before joining the Canadian Constitution Foundation as its executive director, Joanna Baron was the founding director of the Runnymede Society, a group founded by the Canadian Constitution Foundation in 2016.119“About Us,” Runnymede Society. Archived September 13, 2022. Archive URL:https://archive.ph/haRub She is listed as a speaker at the Canada Strong and Free Network, formerly the Manning Centre.120“Joanna Baron,” Canada Strong & Free Network. Archived September 13, 2022. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/JuX3D

Marni Soupcoff

See profile above.

Advisory Board

Andrew Coyne

See profile above.

Andy Crooks

See profile above.

Avril Allen

Avril Allen is a partner at Boghosian+Allen LLP.121“Avril Allen,” Boghosian + Allen LLP. Archived September 13, 2022. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/c3oPK

Bruce Pardy

Bruce Pardy is a professor at Queen’s University where he describes himself as “a classically liberal legal academic for whom equal application of the law, negative rights, private property, limited government, and separation of powers are foundational to the Canadian and Western legal tradition.” He is a co-creator of the Free North Declaration, “a public petition and movement to protect civil liberties in Canada from COVID-19 irrationality and overreach.”126“Bruce Pardy,” Queen’s University. Archived September 13, 2022. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/u3BCN

According to the declaration, Covid rules are “inconsistent and irrational.” It claims that Covid vaccines “do not prevent people from becoming infected or from transmitting the virus to others” and that “only unvaccinated persons are banned or required to undergo testing.”127“The Free North Declaration,” Free North Declaration. Archived September 13, 2022. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/eTT0E

Christopher Schafer

See profile above.

Ehor Boyanowsky

See profile above.

Eugene Meehan

  • Supreme Advocacy LLP – Partner
  • McMillan LLP – Partner (2011)
  • Supreme Court of Canada – Executive legal officer (1990 – 1992)

Eugene Meehan is partner at Supreme Advocacy LLP where he works with “lawyer-clients to increase their success with Leaves to Appeal and Appeals to the Supreme Court of Canada,” according to his LinkedIn account.128“Eugene Meehan, K.C.” LinkedIn. Accessed September 2020. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.

Ezra Levant

Ezra Levant is the author of the pro-fossil-fuel development book Ethical Oil: The Case for Canada’s Oil Sands and a director of the Ethical Oil Institute, a group that has been described as a nonprofit astroturf that started as a joint project of Ezra Levant and Alykhan Velshi with ties to the Conservative Party of Canada. Velshi, former director of issues management for Stephen Harper, has also worked for the Koch-funded American Enterprise Institute.133Aaron Wherry. “Inside the Prime Minister’s Office,” Macleans, October 11, 2013. Archived September 14, 2022. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/knQR Levent ran his own program on the conservative news outlet Sun TV134Jaime Weinman. “Why Sun News failed,” Macleans, February 12, 2015. before the network shut down and now runs Rebel Media.135“Sun News Network to shut down: sources,” CBC News, February 12, 2015.

Gordon Gibson

Gordon Gibson is a senior fellow in Canadian Studies at the Fraser Institute. According to his profile at the Fraser Institute, “[h]is current areas of study include federalism, governance, and aboriginal/non-aboriginal relations. Mr. Gibson has also written Fraser Institute books and monographs that include, Plan B: The Future of the Rest of Canada, Thirty Million Musketeers, Fixing Canadian Democracy, Comments on the Draft Nisga’a Treaty, A Principled Analysis of the Nisga’a Treaty, Principles for Treaties, and his most recent study Challenges in Senate Reform: Conflicts of Interest, Unintended Consequences, New Possibilities.”138“Gordon Gibson,” Fraser Institute. Archived September 14, 2022. Archive URL:https://archive.ph/KJlJW

Karen Selick

  • Canadian Taxpayers Federation – Member, board of directors (2009 – 2018).
  • Reynolds O’Brien LLP – Partner (1985 – 2009).

Karen Selick was formerly a director of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation. She was litigation director to the Canadian Constitution Foundation from 2009 to 2015 according to her LinkedIn account.139“Karen Selick,” LinkedIn. Accessed September 2022. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.

Michael Sporer

Michael Sporer is a professor in the department of criminal law at Douglas College.140“CRIMINOLOGY FACULTY,” Douglas College. Archived September 14, 2022. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/xhsVs

Michel Kelly-Gagnon

Michel Kelly-Gagnon is the president and CEO of the Montreal Economic Institute and a senior fellow at the Atlas Network. He is also a board member of the John Dobson Foundation, a major donor of the Macdonald-Laurier Institute, the Fraser Institute, the Frontier Centre for Public Policy, and a variety of other conservative groups in Canada147“Michel Kelly-Gagnon,” LinkedIn. Accessed September, 2022. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.

Rainer Knopff

Rainer Knopff is a senior fellow with the Fraser Institute and former professor of political science at the University of Calgary.150“Rainer Knopff,” Fraser Institute. Archived September 14, 2022. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/PyDjL He co-authored a book with conservative pundit and former advisor to Steven Harper Tom Flanagan, who was also a political science professor at the University of Calgary.151Katy Anderson. “Ex-PM adviser Tom Flanagan sorry for child-porn comments,” CBC News, February 28, 2013. Archived September 13, 2022. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/ayllg

Russell Brown

Russell Brown is a judge of the Supreme Court of Canada appointed by Prime Minister Stephen Harper. He was formerly a law professor at the University of Alberta. 152“The Honourable Russell Brown,” Supreme Court of Canada. Archived September 14, 2022. Archive URL:https://archive.ph/2t0QY

Thomas Bateman

Thomas M.J. Bateman is an associate professor of political science at St. Thomas University in New Brunswick. 153“Detailed Curriculum Vitae: Thomas Michael Joseph Bateman” (PDF), St. Thomas University. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.

Actions

February 14, 2022

The CCF filed a legal challenge against the federal government’s use of the Emergencies Act when truckers blockaded Ottawa154“Canada protests: Police arrest leaders of trucker convoy,” BBC News, February 18, 2022. Archived August 3, 2022. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/16bRa and other transportation and trade arteries in Canada to protest Covid-19 restrictions.155“Freedom Convoy: Blockade at Alberta border crossing ‘unlawful’,” BBC News, February 1, 2022. Archived August 3, 2022. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/viIaA

Despite the Act being revoked on February 23, 2022, CCF “decided to continue with our case to make sure no government will be able to abuse this piece of legislation again.”

“We are prepared to take this all the way to the Supreme Court if that is what is needed to safeguard Canadian liberty going forward,” CCF suggested.

2018

As later highlighted by the Atlas Network, of which the CCF is a partner, supported the CCF with a grant to fight against Section 91 of the Canada Elections Act which “sought to halt the spread of misinformation during federal elections.”

“The section gave unelected officials the power to fine or even imprison Canadians for posting or sharing information on social media which the government deemed false,” the Atlas Network claimed.

“Atlas Network partner Canadian Constitution Foundation (CCF) recognized the law as a threat to liberty and challenged Section 91 in court. Alongside their litigation, CCF initiated a media campaign to draw public attention to the issue.”

Atlas suggested the CCF was ultimately successful in opposing the statute: “Before the statue could even be put into effect during an election, the Canadian Constitution Foundation succeeded in having it struck down.”

“Atlas Network supported this project with a grant,” Atlas noted.

June 2016

While working as the Ontario director of the Canadian Taxpayer’s Federation, Christine Van Geyn wrote an article that appeared on a now-defunct website NewsHub Nation where she opposed what she described as Kathleen Wynne’s “kooky climate change plan.”156Christine Van Geyn. “Kathleen’s Kooky Climate Change Plan,” NewsHub Nation, June 9, 2016. Archived July 16, 2016. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/q1lNh The article also appeared as a letter to the editor in the community newspaper Springwater News.157“Kathleen’s Kooky Climate Change Plan,” Springwater News, June 16, 2016 edition via Issuu.

“[M]oney will be spent on top-down controls on our lives that will make the cost of living in Ontario even higher,” Van Geyn warned in her article. “For example, the government is going to require that all new homes and all new commercial office buildings be built with electric vehicle charging stations. This will drive up the cost of housing, something that is already increasingly out of reach for many Ontario families.”

She added, “The government is also going to be changing the Building Code to require that all small buildings become carbon neutral. It’s not quite clear what this means, and indeed, could mean the de facto phase out of natural gas which 76 per cent of homes in the province rely on for heat.”

“On top of outrageously high electricity prices and a new cap and trade carbon tax, it’s a miracle there is any manufacturing left in the province at all,” Van Geyn wrote.

The federal corporation News Hub Nation Inc., now “dissolved for non-compliance,” previously listed Canadian businessman and politician Monte Solberg on its board as well as Stephen Taylor,158“Federal Corporation Information – 968826-9,“ Government of Canada. Archived October 2022. who describes himself as “the first fellow of the Manning Centre for Building Democracy” who was “recognized by Preston Manning who tasked him with creating digital campaign tools for the conservative movement.”159“Stephen Taylor,” Stephen Taylor. Archived October 27, 2022. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/oQkSv

Van Geyn tweeted that she also appeared on NewsTalk 1290 CJBK to discuss “to talk kooky climate change action plan.”160“I’ll be on the air with @CJBK today at 3:30 to talk kooky climate change action plan #onpoli,” Tweet by user @cvangeyn, June 8, 2016. Archived August 3, 2022.

September 2010

Ezra Levant spoke at a CCF University of Toronto student chapter event “on his dealings with Alberta’s Human Rights Tribunal,” according to CCF’s 2011 annual report.161“Freedom’s Defence Team 2011 Year in Review,” Canadian Constitution Foundation. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.

The annual report also noted that CCF’s then-executive-director Chris Shafer spoke at three Fraser Institute events “with topics ranging from the decline of liberty to freedom of expression.”

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