Anti-abortion protest 'bubble zone' law on the right side of Charter: lawyer

One St. John's lawyer says the Newfoundland and Labrador government would be making the right choice if it decided to enact a "bubblezone" law preventing protesters from gatheringoutside abortion clinics.

Last week, CBC News reported that Justice Minister Andrew Parsons is looking into bringing in a law that would make it illegal to protest outside a clinic that offers abortion procedures.

• Anti-abortion protests should be illegal outside clinics, says N.L. justice minister

"We have competing rights here and while there's no hierarchy of rights, I do think this is a situation where one right is going to need to be protected moreso than the other," said Jonathan McDonald, a lawyer with Bob Buckingham Law in St. John's.

I think the legislation that's being talked about by Minister Parsons is appropriate, I do think it is constitutional.- Lawyer Jonathan McDonald

According to McDonald, protesters do indeed have the right to free speech under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms within Canada.

However, those protests may violate the rights of women accessing legal health care including at clinics that offer abortions.

"Our Supreme Court has ruled in fact that it's OK for the government to violate Charter rights in this case protestingas long as there's a proportionate reaction, and it's for a justifiable cause. And I think that's what we have here."

McDonald points to the example in British Columbia, where protests are banned within a 30-metre radius ofabortion clinics.

'It will pass the muster'

Challenges of that law have been dismissed by B.C.'s top court, and McDonald said the same would apply here in Newfoundland and Labrador.

"I think it is in example of, albeit a controversial, right to protest, right to freedom of expression. I think the legislation that's being talked about by Minister Parsons is appropriate, I do think it is constitutional and personally I am in favour of it as well," said McDonald.

"I do think it will pass the muster if it's ever challenged for being unconstitutional."

McDonald said because anyone who wants to protestabortions would be able to do so elsewhere not directly outside a clinic where women access that health care their Charter rights can remain intact.

I do think it will pass the muster if it's ever challenged for being unconstitutional.- Lawyer Jonathan McDonald

"You're still allowed to protest abortion, you're still allowed to be pro-life. You can do it on the radio, you can do it in the privacy of your own home, as long as it's not within a certain radius of these clinics," he said.

"You are still allowed to promote that idea, you're just not allowed to promote that idea to the point that it might interfere with the safety of these women entering these clinics."

As for the issue of protesters allegedly taking photos of women going inside the clinics to get an abortion, McDonald said this "bubblezone" legislation would help put an end to that, as well.

"That makes another reason why this legislation should be introduced. Unfortunately, these people are allowed to have their smartphones and take photos when they're out in the public realm," said McDonald.

"By introducing this legislation, that's something besides the safety that will be doing as well: protecting the identities of those availing of the clinics."