Lawyers
Andre Schutten
- T: (613) 221-5895
- F: (343) 888-2619
- E: andre@acaciagroup.ca
Professional Affiliations:
- Christian Legal Fellowship, Member
- Canadian Centre for Christian Charities, Professional Associate
About
André joined the Acacia Group as Litigation Counsel in 2026. He has represented Christian groups in various court interventions, having made arguments before the Supreme Court of Canada in five cases and in five different courts of appeal. He researches and writes on law and public policy and conducts regular analysis on the impact of different government bills and court judgments.
André has been published in a number of law journal collections on issues including constitutional interpretation, equality and disability rights, religious and associational freedom, and freedom of expression. His writing has been published in Canadian Diversity, the Supreme Court Law Review, and the National Journal of Constitutional Law, and has been cited in several Canadian court judgments.
André has appeared before legislative committees of both the House of Commons and the Senate of Canada, and has presented on legal issues to groups such as the Ontario Bar Association and the Runnymede Society. André also participated, by invitation, in the Ontario Human Rights Commission’s Policy Dialogue on Human Rights, Creed, and Freedom of Religion (organized with the University of Toronto’s Religion in the Public Sphere Initiative and the University of Toronto Faculty of Law) and contributed to its resulting publication.
André is also a professor of politics at Redeemer University where he teaches courses on law, human rights, politics and public policy. He previously worked as Senior Counsel and Director of Training & Development at Christian Legal Fellowship (2024 – 2026), as General Counsel and Director of Law & Public Policy at ARPA Canada (2011-2023), and as an intern for the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada and for the Centre for Faith and Public Life. He also taught as adjunct faculty at Trinity Western University’s Laurentian Leadership Centre (2021-2023). André has a Certificate in Human Rights Law (Osgoode Hall, 2015), an LL.M. in Constitutional Law (Osgoode Hall, 2013), an LL.B. (uOttawa, 2010), and an Hons.B.A. in Classics and Religion (McMaster, 2007). He was called to the Ontario Bar on June 21, 2011.
He, his wife Karyn and their four children live in Caledonia, Ontario, after having lived and worked in Ottawa for 16 years. They are active members in their local church. André has served as an ordained elder and a part-time organist and is a former Infantry Reservist.
More Information
Details
Practice Areas:
Constitutional and Human Rights Law
Bar Admissions:
Ontario (2011)
Education:
Osgoode Hall (2015) Certificate in Human Rights Law
Osgoode Hall (2013) LL.M. in Constitutional Law
McMaster University (2007) Hons.B.A. in Classics and Religion
Vabuolas et al., v Information and Privacy Commissioner (British Columbia) et al., SSC file no. 41816) materials file, hearing pending)
English Montreal School Board, et al. v. Attorney General of Quebec, et al., (decision pending – SCC file no. 41231)
Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church of Canada St. Mary Cathedral v. Aga, 2021 SCC 22
Trinity Western University v. Law Society of Upper Canada, 2018 SCC 33
Law Society of British Columbia v. Trinity Western University, 2018 SCC 32
Wall v. Judicial Committee of the Highwood Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses, 2018 SCC 26
Carter v. Canada (Attorney General), 2015 SCC 5
Loyola High School, et al. v. Attorney General of Quebec, 2015 SCC 12
Saskatchewan Human Rights Commission v. William Whatcott, [2013] SCC 11
Wirring v Law Society of Alberta, 2025 ABCA 413
Harvest Ministries International c. Proulx (Minister of Tourism) et al., (Québec Superior Court, file No. 200-17-035129-238, decision pending)
Église Baptiste Évangélique de Chicoutimi v. Ville de Saguenay et al. (Québec Superior Court, file no. 150-17-005254-252, leave to intervene granted, oral arguments pending)
O’Neill v. British Columbia (Minister of Health), 2025 BCSC 601 (decision pending)
Gateway Bible Baptist Church et al. v. Manitoba et al., 2023 MBCA 56.
Ontario v. Trinity Bible Chapel et al, 2023 ONCA 134.
Canadian Alliance for Sex Work Law Reform v. Attorney General, 2023 ONSC 5197
Beaudoin v British Columbia (Attorney General), 2022 BCCA 427.
Guelph and Area Right to Life v. City of Guelph, 2022 ONSC 43.
Ontario v. Trinity Bible Chapel et al, 2022 ONSC 1344
Beaudoin v British Columbia, 2021 BCSC 512
Gateway Bible Baptist Church et al. v. Manitoba et al., 2021 MBQB 219
ARPA Canada and Patricia Maloney v. R., 2017 ONSC 3285
Trinity Western University v. Law Society of British Columbia, 2016 BCCA 423;
Trinity Western University v. Law Society of British Columbia, 2015 BCSC 2326;
Nova Scotia Barristers’ Society v. Trinity Western University, 2016 NSCA 59;
Trinity Western University v. Nova Scotia Barristers Society, 2015 NSSC 25;
Trinity Western University v. Law Society of Upper Canada, 2016 ONCA 518;
Trinity Western University v.Law Society of Upper Canada, 2015 ONSC 4250;
House of Commons Finance Committee – Pre-budget consultations (2011)
i. Ontario Standing Committee on Social Policy – Bill 13 (anti-bullying legislation) (2012)
ii. Submissions to Federal External Panel on Options for a Legislative Response to Carter (2015)
iii. House of Commons Justice Committee – Bill C-14 (Medical Assistance in Dying) (2016)
iv. House of Commons Justice Committee – Bill C-51 (Criminal Code reforms / hate speech) (2017)
v. House of Commons Justice Committee – Study on Online Hate (2019)
vi. House of Commons Indigenous and Northern Affairs Committee – Bill C-92 (Indigenous child welfare) (2019)
vii. House of Commons Justice Committee – Bill C-7 (assisted suicide) (2020)
House of Commons Justice Committee – Bill C-6 (conversion therapy legislation) (2020)
Senate of Canada, Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee – Bill C-7 (Medical Assistance in Dying) (2020)
House of Commons Ethics Committee – Privacy/reputation on platforms such as Pornhub (2021)
House of Commons Justice Committee – Review of PCEPA/Prostitution legislation (2022)
House of Commons Justice Committee – Bill C-5 (Criminal justice reform) (2022)
Special Joint Committee on MAID – MAID legislative review (2022)
House of Commons Status of Women Committee – human trafficking and prostitution brief (2023)
Expertise
Practice Areas:
Constitutional and Human Rights Law
Bar Admissions:
Ontario (2011)
Education:
Osgoode Hall (2015) Certificate in Human Rights Law
Osgoode Hall (2013) LL.M. in Constitutional Law
McMaster University (2007) Hons.B.A. in Classics and Religion
Details
Vabuolas et al., v Information and Privacy Commissioner (British Columbia) et al., SSC file no. 41816) materials file, hearing pending)
English Montreal School Board, et al. v. Attorney General of Quebec, et al., (decision pending – SCC file no. 41231)
Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church of Canada St. Mary Cathedral v. Aga, 2021 SCC 22
Trinity Western University v. Law Society of Upper Canada, 2018 SCC 33
Law Society of British Columbia v. Trinity Western University, 2018 SCC 32
Wall v. Judicial Committee of the Highwood Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses, 2018 SCC 26
Carter v. Canada (Attorney General), 2015 SCC 5
Loyola High School, et al. v. Attorney General of Quebec, 2015 SCC 12
Saskatchewan Human Rights Commission v. William Whatcott, [2013] SCC 11
Wirring v Law Society of Alberta, 2025 ABCA 413
Harvest Ministries International c. Proulx (Minister of Tourism) et al., (Québec Superior Court, file No. 200-17-035129-238, decision pending)
Église Baptiste Évangélique de Chicoutimi v. Ville de Saguenay et al. (Québec Superior Court, file no. 150-17-005254-252, leave to intervene granted, oral arguments pending)
O’Neill v. British Columbia (Minister of Health), 2025 BCSC 601 (decision pending)
Gateway Bible Baptist Church et al. v. Manitoba et al., 2023 MBCA 56.
Ontario v. Trinity Bible Chapel et al, 2023 ONCA 134.
Canadian Alliance for Sex Work Law Reform v. Attorney General, 2023 ONSC 5197
Beaudoin v British Columbia (Attorney General), 2022 BCCA 427.
Guelph and Area Right to Life v. City of Guelph, 2022 ONSC 43.
Ontario v. Trinity Bible Chapel et al, 2022 ONSC 1344
Beaudoin v British Columbia, 2021 BCSC 512
Gateway Bible Baptist Church et al. v. Manitoba et al., 2021 MBQB 219
ARPA Canada and Patricia Maloney v. R., 2017 ONSC 3285
Trinity Western University v. Law Society of British Columbia, 2016 BCCA 423;
Trinity Western University v. Law Society of British Columbia, 2015 BCSC 2326;
Nova Scotia Barristers’ Society v. Trinity Western University, 2016 NSCA 59;
Trinity Western University v. Nova Scotia Barristers Society, 2015 NSSC 25;
Trinity Western University v. Law Society of Upper Canada, 2016 ONCA 518;
Trinity Western University v.Law Society of Upper Canada, 2015 ONSC 4250;
House of Commons Finance Committee – Pre-budget consultations (2011)
i. Ontario Standing Committee on Social Policy – Bill 13 (anti-bullying legislation) (2012)
ii. Submissions to Federal External Panel on Options for a Legislative Response to Carter (2015)
iii. House of Commons Justice Committee – Bill C-14 (Medical Assistance in Dying) (2016)
iv. House of Commons Justice Committee – Bill C-51 (Criminal Code reforms / hate speech) (2017)
v. House of Commons Justice Committee – Study on Online Hate (2019)
vi. House of Commons Indigenous and Northern Affairs Committee – Bill C-92 (Indigenous child welfare) (2019)
vii. House of Commons Justice Committee – Bill C-7 (assisted suicide) (2020)
House of Commons Justice Committee – Bill C-6 (conversion therapy legislation) (2020)
Senate of Canada, Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee – Bill C-7 (Medical Assistance in Dying) (2020)
House of Commons Ethics Committee – Privacy/reputation on platforms such as Pornhub (2021)
House of Commons Justice Committee – Review of PCEPA/Prostitution legislation (2022)
House of Commons Justice Committee – Bill C-5 (Criminal justice reform) (2022)
Special Joint Committee on MAID – MAID legislative review (2022)
House of Commons Status of Women Committee – human trafficking and prostitution brief (2023)