OTTAWA — In a landmark freedom-of-religion case, the Supreme Court of Canada has ruled that a massive ski resort development in southeast British Columbia can go ahead despite a claim by a First Nation that it violates sacred land.
The decision clarifies a boundary on the Charter right to freedom of religion, establishing that the government does not have a duty to protect an object of religious beliefs. Instead, the duty is to protect the right to hold such beliefs and to practice those beliefs in worship.
“In short, the Charter protects the freedom to worship, but does not protect the spiritual focal point of worship,” the decision says.
The legal saga over building a year-round ski resort in B.C.’s Jumbo Valley has spanned 26 years, as developers first started the application process in 1991. The land is considered sacred by the Ktunaxa Nation because it’s home to the “grizzly bear spirit,” central to their religious beliefs and rituals...http://thestarphoenix.com/news/politics/in-key-freedom-of-religion-case-supreme-court-sides-with-b-c-government-over-ski-resort/wcm/c086fd47-38dd-4bf7-ba8f-1624d34bc133
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