Featured Court Rulings

Welcome to the Centre for Constitutional Studies' Featured Court Rulings web page.

This service is intended to help members of the public understand Court decisions related to Canada's constitutional law. Constitutional cases have been summarized by lawyers and the Centre's law research students. The legal decisions are briefed in plain English. References to original sources are provided.

Latest Entries

• R. v. Withler (Canada) Attorney-General
• R  v. Grant: Psychological detention and the exclusion of evidence
• The Saskatchewan Marriage Commissioner's Reference
• Westendorp v. The Queen – Can a City Prohibit Street Prostitution? (1983)
• Law v. Canada (Minister of Employment and Immigration) (1999) – Equality Rights Framework
• Harvey v. New Brunswick (1996) – The Right to be Qualified for Membership in the House of Commons or a Legislative Assembly
• R. v. Powley (2003) – Métis Rights
• Figueroa v. Canada (2003) – The Right to Vote and Registered Party Status
• Egan v. Canada (1995) – Equality Rights and Same-Sex Spousal Benefits
• Sauvé v. Canada (1993) – Voting Rights for Prisoners
• Sauvé v. Canada (2002) – Limits on Voting Rights for Prisoners
•  Reference re Provincial Electoral Boundaries (1991) – Electoral District Boundaries and the Right to Vote
• Eldridge v. British Columbia (Attorney General) (1997) – Equality Rights and Services for the Deaf
• Vancouver (City) v. Ward (2010) – Damages for Breach of Charter Rights 
• Greater Vancouver Transportation Authority v. Canadian Federation of Students (2009) – Political Expression on Public Transit
• Ontario (Public Safety and Security) v. Criminal Lawyers' Association (2010) – Freedom of Expression and Access to Government Documents
• Toronto Star Newspapers Ltd. v. Canada – Freedom of Expression and Publication Bans (2010)
• R. v. National Post (2010): Do Journalists Have a Right to Protect Sources?
• R. v. Morelli – Unreasonable Search and Seizure (2010)
• Operation Dismantle v. The Queen: Charter Rights, Government Decisions, and the Risk of War (1985)
• R. v. Nasogaluak: Criminal Sentence Reductions for Charter Breaches (2010)
• Canada (Prime Minister) v. Omar Khadr – The Crown Prerogative and Charter Rights (2010)
• Chatterjee v. Ontario (Attorney General): Provincial Law on Proceeds of Crime (2009)
• Reference re Same-sex Marriage (2004)
• R. v. Ladouceur: The Constitutionality of Random Roving Vehicle Stops (1990)
• Alberta v. Hutterian Brethren of Wilson Colony (2009)
• Corbiere v. Canada (1999)
• The Upper House Reference (1980)
• Reference re Firearms Act (1995)
• R. v. Patrick – Is There a Reasonable Expectation of Privacy in Garbage? (2009)
• R. v. L.L.S.: Unreasonable Strip-Searches and the Charter (2009)
• R. v. Cardinal - First Nations Commercial Harvesting (2009)
• R. v. Caron - Language Rights in Alberta (2008)
• Ermineskin Indian Band and Nation v. Canada - Fiduciary Obligation to Invest Oil and Gas Royalties (2009)  
• R. v. Caron - Alberta Court of Appeal Awards Costs in Caron Case (2009)
• R. v. D.B. - Reverse onus provisions and Section 7 of the Charter (2008)
• R. v. White - Publication Ban Upheld (2008)
• R v. Kapp - Supreme Court Approves Affirmative Action Program (2008)
• Canada (Attorney General) v. Lameman - Papachase Land Claim Resolved (2008)
• R. v. Ferguson - Supreme Court Upholds Mandatory Minimum Sentence and Refuses to Grant Constitutional Exemption (2008)Morrow v. Zhang- Alberta Court Strikes Down Damages Cap (2008)

 Classic Charter Cases

• R. v. Oakes - The Oakes Test (1986)
• R. v. Sparrow - Aboriginal Rights (1990)
• Law v. Canada - Equality Rights (1999)
• R v. Morgantaler - Women's Rights (1988)
• Re B.C. Motor Vehicle Act - The Right to Not be Arbitrarily Detained (1985)
• Vriend v. Alberta - Gay Rights (1998)
• Hunter v. Southam Inc.: Government Use of Search Warrants (1984)
• Andrews v. Law Society of British Columbia - Equality RIghts (1989)
• R. v. Collins - The Collins Test (1983)
• R v. Stinchcombe - Burden of Proof (1991)
• R v. Askov - Trial in a Timely Manner (1990)
• Reference re Provincial Electoral Boundaries – Clarifying the Right to Vote (1991)

 By Subject Heading

ABORIGINAL RIGHTS

Section 25, Charter of Rights and Freedoms - Protection of Aboriginal Rights

• Corbiere v. Canada (1999)

   Métis Rights

  • Peavine Métis Settlement v. Alberta: Métis or Indian? (2007)

Section 35, Constitution Act, 1982 - Treaty Rights

Sustenance Rights

• R. v. Lefthand and Eaglechild: No Fishing Out of Season (2008)
• R. v. Douglas: The duty to consult (2007)
• R. v. Lefthand: The duty to consult (2006)
• R. v. Sappier, R. v. Gray; the Harvesting of Timber (2006)
• Canada (Attorney General) v. Lameman - Papachase Land Claim Resolved (2008)

CHARTER OF RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS

Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms (1982)

Section 2 (a) -
Freedom of religion

• Multani v. Commission Scolaire: The kirpan case (2006)

Section 2 (b) -
Freedom of speech

• Canada (Attorney General) v. JTI-Macdonald Corp. (JTI): Tobacco advertising revisited (2007)
• R. v. Kouri, R. v. Labaye: What constitutes criminal indecency? (2005)

Section 2 (b) -
Freedom of the press

• Named Person v. Vancouver Sun (2007)

Section 2 (d) -
Freedom to associate

• Health Services and Support - Facilities Subsector Bargaining Assn. v. British Columbia: Union rights (2007)

Section 7 -
The right to life, liberty and security of the person

• Doe v. Alberta: No right to not parent (2007)
• Health Services and Support - Facilities Subsector Bargaining Assn. v. British Columbia: Union rights (2007)
• Morrow v. Zhang - Alberta Court Strikes Down Damages Cap (2008)
• R. v. Hape: Section 7 does not apply to extraterritorial searches (2007)
• R. v. Clayton: Police searches for guns (2007)
• R. v. Rodgers: The taking of DNA samples for government databanks (2006)
• Re B.C. Motor Vehicle Act: The Right to Not be Arbitrarily Detained (1985)
• U.S.A. v. Ferras: Evidence, extradition, & the Charter (1999)
• R v. Morgantaler - Women's Rights (1988)
• R v. Stinchcombe - Burden of Proof (1991)

Section 8 -
The right to be secure against unreasonable search or seizure

• Hunter v. Southam Inc.: Governments must use search warrants (1984)
• R. v. Rodgers: The taking of DNA samples for government databanks (2006)
• R. v. Collins - "The Collins Test" (1987)

Section 11 (c) -
The right to not to be compelled to be a witness in proceedings against yourself

• R. v. Rodgers: The taking of DNA samples for government databanks (2006)

Section 11 (d) -
The right to presumed innocent until the government proves that you are guilty

• R. v. Oakes: The Oakes Test (1986)

Section 12 -
The right not to be subjected to any cruel and unusual treatment or punishment

• R. v. Ferguson - Supreme Court Upholds Mandatory Minimum Sentence and Refuses to Grant Constitutional Exemption (2008)

Section 15 -
Equality Rights

• Corbiere v. Canada (1999)
• Andrews v. Law Society of British Columbia (1989)
• Health Services and Support - Facilities Subsector Bargaining Assn. v. British Columbia: Union rights (2007)
• Morrow v. Zhang - Alberta Court Strikes Down Damages Cap (2008)
• R v. Kapp - Supreme Court Approves Affirmative Action Program (2008)
• Vriend v. Alberta - Gay Rights (1998)

FEDERALISM

The Constitution Act, 1867

Divison of Powers
Sections 91 and 92

• Reference re Firearms Act (1995)
• Canadian Western Bank v. Alberta; B.C. (A.G.) v. Lafarge Canada Inc. and Vancouver Port Authority (2007)

Independance of the Judiciary
Section 96

• Council of Canadians v. Canada (A.G.): NAFTA Tribunals are Constitutional (2007)

 The Constitution Act, 1982

Amending Formula
Part V

The Upper House Reference, 1980