Law360 Canada ( June 4, 2025, 12:25 PM EDT) -- Appeal by appellants from an order upholding an adjudicator’s order under the Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA) requiring the production of certain records for review. The respondents applied for the disclosure of their personal information from the appellants’ congregations. However, the appellants withheld certain information because it was privileged and confidential religious communication. The appellants, including several Jehovah’s Witnesses congregations, challenged the order issued by the adjudicator under PIPA. The order required the production of certain records for review, which contained personal information requested by former members of the congregations, Gabriel-Liberty Wall and Westgarde. The appellants argued that the records were privileged and confidential religious communications, asserting that the provisions of PIPA mandating their disclosure infringed their rights under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms (Charter). They claimed violations of their rights to freedom of religion, expression, association, and protection from unreasonable search and seizure. The adjudicator found that while the provisions of PIPA did infringe the appellants’ freedom of religion, the infringement was justified under s. 1 of the Charter, which allowed for reasonable limits on rights and freedoms. The chambers judge agreed with the adjudicator’s decision, dismissing the appellants’ petition for judicial review. The judge concluded that the adjudicator’s interpretation of PIPA allowed for a proportionate balancing of Charter rights and statutory objectives, and that the production order was reasonable in the circumstances. The appellants appealed, arguing that the infringement of their Charter rights was not justified and that the adjudicator’s decision to issue the production order was unreasonable....