The senior counsel's areas of interest include federalism, administrative law and judicial review
The Canadian Constitution Foundation has welcomed former Saskatchewan justice minister and attorney general Bronwyn Eyre as its new senior counsel.
Eyre will take on the role effective mid-October. She will work alongside the CCF’s legal team on strategic constitutional litigation and help expand the organization’s capacity to challenge what the CCF describes as government overreach and defend fundamental freedoms.
A lawyer and former journalist, Eyre was elected to the Saskatchewan Legislative Assembly in 2016 and subsequently held several senior cabinet positions. As minister of justice and attorney general, she oversaw Saskatchewan’s justice system and represented the province on constitutional and federalism matters.
Eyre said she has long followed the CCF’s work on constitutional freedoms and the rule of law.
“I have long admired the Canadian Constitution Foundation’s principled commitment to defending constitutional freedoms and the rule of law,” Eyre said in a news release. “I am delighted to join its outstanding legal team and contribute my experience to the important work of holding governments accountable and defending the rights of Canadians.”
Her areas of interest include federalism and the constitutional division of powers, freedom of expression and religion, administrative law and judicial review, and the relationship between international law and Canada’s domestic constitutional framework.
The CCF said Eyre is also interested in emerging civil liberties issues involving universities, professional regulators, government institutions and online expression. Other areas include property rights, freedom of association and questions about the limits of government authority.
Christine Van Geyn, CCF’s executive director, said Eyre’s experience in government would bring a different perspective to the organization’s legal work.
“Having served at the highest levels of government, she brings a rare understanding of how governments make decisions, how they exercise their power, and where they can be challenged,” Van Geyn said. “That perspective will be a powerful addition to the CCF’s legal team.”
Eyre will join the CCF as it expands its capacity to take on constitutional cases nationwide, the organization said.
The organization is also running a fundraising campaign tied to that expansion. According to the CCF, a donor has offered to match donations made during September up to $100,000. The CCF said the campaign will help fund new casework that Eyre and its expanded legal team will take on.
