The Parti Quebecois' Charter of Secular Values may have died with the recent election, but the debate it stirred up has yet to end.
This week Dalila Awada filed a defamation lawsuit against a former PQ candidate and two other bloggers for comments linking her to terrorist groups.
Awada, 23, appeared on the popular program Tout Le Monde En Parle at the height of the Charter debate and spoke in favour of women who wear an Islamic veil.
Her appearance generated a lot of debate, but Awada says many of the comments went beyond criticism to unreasonable attacks.
"I was expecting this backlash, but this wasn't criticism this was defamation," said Awada.
Lawyer Anne-France Goldwater says the online comments by PQ candidate Louise Mailloux and several others were beyond the limits of acceptable behaviour.
"What you can't do, and what freedom of expression doesn't protect, is directly attacking an individual for her appearance, for her religious beliefs, for her being," Goldwater said.
"You can't claim she's a terrorist if she's not a terrorist. You can't tie her to other organizations or fund organizations when she's not attached to any organizations."
Mailloux defended her statements and said the lawsuit is a judicial jihad, of a type that is trying to limit public participation in a passionate debate.
"There are a lot of cases accumulating against people who criticize Islam or Islamists," said Mailloux.
The candidate is no stranger to controversy, and was criticized during the election campaign for making past statements comparing circumcision and baptism to rape.
Mailloux was also criticized for repeating an often-denounced conspiracy theory about the kosher food industry.
Her lawyer, Jean Bernier, said Awada's lawsuit is an unfair attack on free speech.
"I don't think it's appropriate for the court to intervene in this debate which is political and should stay political," Bernier said.
Mailloux is raising money for her defence, but Bernier hopes the case will be dismissed.
Awada has already said that if she wins, she will donate proceeds from the case to a charity that supports women and interfaith dialogue.
