John is a lawyer with a passion for freedom, and for defending the free society. As head of the Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms, he has devoted his legal career to helping individuals when their rights and freedoms are violated by government. The fight to preserve Canada’s proud tradition of freedom makes for interesting stories, some involving controversial clients. In the court of law, and in the court of public opinion, John makes the principled case for true tolerance: the free society allows unpopular speech and unpopular associations. He considers it a privilege to advocate for courageous and principled clients who take great risks – and make tremendous personal sacrifices – by resisting the unjust demands of intolerant government authorities.
John Carpay was born in the Netherlands, and grew up in British Columbia. He earned his B.A. in Political Science at Laval University in Quebec City, and his LL.B. from the University of Calgary. Fluent in English, French, and Dutch, John served the Canadian Taxpayers Federation as Alberta Director from 2001 to 2005, advocating for lower taxes, less waste, and accountable government. Called to the Bar in 1999, he has been an advocate for freedom in constitutional cases across Canada. As the founder and president of the Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms (JCCF), John has devoted his legal career to defending Canada’s free society. He considers it a privilege to advocate for courageous and principled clients who take great risks – and make tremendous personal sacrifices – by resisting the unjust demands of intolerant government authorities. Since its founding, the Justice Centre has secured over 22 favorable court rulings and out-of-court settlements for clients whose liberties were threatened by government or by governmental bodies. John received the Pyramid Award for Ideas and Public Policy, in recognition of his work in constitutional advocacy, and his success in building up and managing a non-profit organization to defend citizens’ freedoms.
Speech Topics
John customizes his talks to suit your industry, association, or cause. He speaks about the following themes:
Barbarians in the Ivory Tower: how universities are destroying freedom of speech
Understanding and defending Canada’s free society
Why religious freedom is relevant to a secular society
The importance of freedom of expression to Canadian democracy
Gay rights versus religious freedom: is reconciliation possible?
Access to health care: a constitutional right to private health insurance?
Other topics involving law, politics and Canada’s Constitution
