Three national Christian organizations are moving to join a court challenge against the City of Montreal after municipal officials fined a church $2,500 for a worship service featuring music by U.S. artist Sean Feucht.Lawyers for Ministerios Restauracion have already filed an application for judicial review in Quebec Superior Court seeking to quash the bylaw infraction ticket issued after the service. The fine was imposed on the grounds the event violated a municipal bylaw.Now, Reseau Evangelique du Quebec, the Canadian Centre for Christian Charities and the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada have applied for leave to intervene in the case. If permitted, the groups plan to argue the worship service fell within the scope of the bylaw and that music is a core component of Christian worship, praise and evangelization.The organizations also intend to argue the city’s actions infringe freedom of religion as protected by both the Quebec Charter and the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. .Together, the groups say they represent hundreds of Christian communities and organizations in Quebec and thousands across Canada, with more than half belonging to Evangelical denominations.Mark Joseph, litigation director for The Democracy Fund, said the case raises broader civil liberties concerns. He said sanctioning a religious congregation for peaceful worship on the basis that singing violates a municipal bylaw amounts to an attack on religious freedom affecting all faith communities.Joseph said the groups hope the court will grant leave to intervene so affected communities can assist in defending Ministerios Restauracion and in upholding fundamental freedoms.The City of Montreal has not yet filed a response to the court application, and no hearing date has been set.
