Key Cases in Canadian
Charter History
Human Rights – History
Hunter v. Southam Inc. 1984
Unreasonable search and seizure
R. vs. Oakes 1985
Innocent until proven guilty
B.C. Motor Vehicle Reference 1985
An automatic conviction carried a prison term of a
minimum of seven days!
R. v. Collins 1987
Fundamental Justice
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The SCC established that exclusion of
illegally obtained evidence is not automatic
Morgentaler 1988
Abortion Laws
Ford v. Quebec 1988
Notwithstanding Clause
R. v. J. 1990
Right to an attorney
R. v. Lavallee (1990)
Battered Wife Syndrome
R. v. Askov 1990
Right to be tried within a reasonable time
Justice delayed is justice denied
R. vs. Stinchcombe 1991
Disclosure
“It was verified by the Service
Station operator in Trenton that on
August 9/67 Romeo Phillion had
been in the service station between
12:00-1:00 p.m. and left his car
radio there because he could not pay
for the service call.
This made it impossible for him to
return to Ottawa by 2:45 p.m. at the
time the murder was committed.”
Romeo Phillion spent 31 years in prison and police
knew he had a viable alibi
Egan v. Canada 1995
Gay Rights
Old Age Spousal benefits
R. v. M. 1998
Students Charter Rights
Quebec Secession Reference 1998
Quebec Secession
B.C. v. BCGSEU 1999
Bona Fide Occupational Requirement
M. v. H. 1999
Gay Rights
Common Law
Benefits!
R. v. Sharpe (2000)
Limits on Freedom of Expression
R. v. Golden 2001
Strip Searches
Rules for Strip Searches
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The police must be looking for weapons or drugs
The search is authorized by a senior officer
The search is done by a same sex officer
Body cavity searches are done only by medical
personnel
United States v. Burns 2001
Capital Punishment
Bill C-38
Gay Marriage 2005
On July 20, 2005 the House of Commons voted on
and passed Bill C-38 making Canada the 4th
country in the world to legalize gay marriages
Charkaoui v. Canada 2007
Security Certificates
Telus - 2013
SCC rules the police
need a warrant to
obtain text messages
from providers
R. v. Vu - 2013
Computer Searches
SCC states the police
need a warrant to
conduct a laptop or
cellphone search.
Hassan Rasouli 2013
The SCC rules that
doctors cannot
unilaterally choose to
end life support.
What’s Next?
Marijuana?
Polygamy?
Dr. Assisted Suicide?
Supreme Court of Canada Cases
for Student Review
Justices of the Supreme Court of Canada
The Right Honourable
Chief Justice of Canada,
Beverley McLachlin
Charter Assignment
Students are to review Key Charter Cases PowerPoint. At the end
of the PP there are 30 new cases to be analyzed. As a single or in
pairs students will select a case, do a brief bit of research and put
together a slide or two and brief 5 minute presentation on their
topic.
Sue Rodriguez and Dr. Assisted Suicide
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A one page case review will be submitted.
Included in the review will be:
A print out of the PP slide
A synopsis of the case
The decision of the SCC and vote count
A synopsis of the ratio decidendi
A synopsis of the dissenting view (where
applicable)
A synopsis of obiter dictum (where applicable)
A personal view of the decision
Charter Assignment 2

Create a pamphlet promoting the Charter of Rights and
one of the cases, approved by Mr. O’Reilly, at the end of
the power point.
Your Rights as a Victim of Crime
Listen Up - Information for Young People
A one page case review will be submitted.
Included in the review will be:
 A synopsis of the case
 The decision of the SCC and vote count
 A synopsis of the ratio decidendi
 A synopsis of the dissenting view (where
applicable)
 A synopsis of obiter dictum (where
applicable)
 A personal view of the decision
1 Tremblay v. Daigle, [1989] 2 S.C.R. 530
http://scc.lexum.umontreal.ca/en/1989/1989rcs2-530/1989rcs2-530.html
Legal status of fetus; fathers’ rights
2 R. v. Beatty, 2008 SCC 5
http://scc.lexum.umontreal.ca/en/2008/2008scc5/2008scc5.html
Dangerous driving
3 Citadel General Assurance Co. v. Vytlingam, 2007 SCC 46
http://scc.lexum.umontreal.ca/en/2007/2007scc46/2007scc46.html
Vehicle insurance coverage
4 Childs v. Desormeaux, 2006 SCC 18, [2006] 1 S.C.R. 643
http://scc.lexum.umontreal.ca/en/2006/2006scc18/2006scc18.html
Liability of social hosts
5 Leskun v. Leskun, 2006 SCC 25, [2006] 1 S.C.R. 920
http://scc.lexum.umontreal.ca/en/2006/2006scc25/2006scc25.html
Misconduct of spouses on divorce
6 Young v. Bella, 2006 SCC 3, [2006] 1 S.C.R. 108
http://scc.lexum.umontreal.ca/en/2006/2006scc3/2006scc3.html
Negligence re: child abuse
7 R. v. Teskey, 2007 SCC 25
http://scc.lexum.umontreal.ca/en/2007/2007scc25/2007scc25.html
Judge’s written reasons delivered 11 months after verdict
8 R. v. Spencer, 2007 SCC 11, [2007] 1 S.C.R. 500
http://scc.lexum.umontreal.ca/en/2007/2007scc11/2007scc11.html
Voluntariness of confession
9 Madsen Estate v. Saylor, 2007 SCC 18, [2007] 1 S.C.R. 838
http://scc.lexum.umontreal.ca/en/2007/2007scc18/2007scc18.html
Joint accounts, right of survivorship; presumption of advancement
10 Alliance for Marriage and Family v. A.A., 2007 SCC 40
http://scc.lexum.umontreal.ca/en/2007/2007scc40/2007scc40.html
The matter of standing in family law case
11 Reference re Same-Sex Marriage, 2004 SCC 79, [2004] 3 S.C.R. 698
http://scc.lexum.umontreal.ca/en/2004/2004scc79/2004scc79.html
Same-sex marriage
12 R. v. Krieger, 2006 SCC 47, [2006] 2 S.C.R. 501
http://scc.lexum.umontreal.ca/en/2006/2006scc47/2006scc47.html
Right to trial by jury
13 R. v. Clayton, 2007 SCC 32
http://scc.lexum.umontreal.ca/en/2007/2007scc32/2007scc32.html
Search and seizure; arbitrary detention
14 R. v. B.W.P.; R. v. B.V.N., 2006 SCC 27, [2006] 1 S.C.R. 941
http://scc.lexum.umontreal.ca/en/2006/2006scc27/2006scc27.html
Deterrence a principle of sentencing under YCJA?
15 R. v. Trotta, 2007 SCC 49
http://scc.lexum.umontreal.ca/en/2007/2007scc49/2007scc49.html
Evidence after conviction discrediting Crown’s expert witness
16 R. v. Singh, 2007 SCC 48
http://scc.lexum.umontreal.ca/en/2007/2007scc48/2007scc48.html
Right to silence
17 R. v. Marshall, [1999] 3 S.C.R. 456
http://scc.lexum.umontreal.ca/en/1999/1999rcs3-456/1999rcs3-456.html
Treaty rights; fishing rights
18 R. v. Ewanchuk, [1999] 1 S.C.R. 330
http://scc.lexum.umontreal.ca/en/1999/1999rcs1-330/1999rcs1-330.html
Sexual assault; implied consent
19 Charkaoui v. Canada (Citizenship and Immigration), 2007 SCC 9, [2007]
1 S.C.R. 350
http://scc.lexum.umontreal.ca/en/2007/2007scc9/2007scc9.html
Certificates of inadmissibility; review of detention
20 Trinity Western University v. British Columbia College of Teachers,
2001 SCC 31, [2001] 1 S.C.R. 772
http://scc.lexum.umontreal.ca/en/2001/2001scc31/2001scc31.html
Discrimination on the basis of religion
20 Trinity Western University v. British Columbia College of Teachers,
2001 SCC 31, [2001] 1 S.C.R. 772
http://scc.lexum.umontreal.ca/en/2001/2001scc31/2001scc31.html
Discrimination on the basis of religion
21 E.B. v. Order of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate in the Province of
British Columbia, 2005 SCC 60, [2005] 3 S.C.R. 45
http://scc.lexum.umontreal.ca/en/2005/2005scc60/2005scc60.html
Vicarious liability of employer
22 Canadian Foundation for Children, Youth and the Law v. Canada
(Attorney General), 2004 SCC 4, [2004] 1 S.C.R. 76
http://scc.lexum.umontreal.ca/en/2004/2004scc4/2004scc4.html
s.43 CC ~ Corporal Punishment (spanking)
23 Trociuk v. British Columbia (Attorney General), 2003 SCC 34, [2003] 1
S.C.R. 835
http://scc.lexum.umontreal.ca/en/2003/2003scc34/2003scc34.html
Birth registration laws violating s.15 equality rights of fathers
24 R. v. Ruzic, 2001 SCC 24, [2001] 1 S.C.R. 687
http://scc.lexum.umontreal.ca/en/2001/2001scc24/2001scc24.html
Defence of duress
25 R. v. Latimer, 2001 SCC 1, [2001] 1 S.C.R. 3
http://scc.lexum.umontreal.ca/en/2001/2001scc1/2001scc1.html
Sentencing; minimum punishment cruel and unusual?
26 United States v. Burns, 2001 SCC 7, [2001] 1 S.C.R. 283
http://scc.lexum.umontreal.ca/en/2001/2001scc7/2001scc7.html
Extradition Ms. Rubacha
27 Pecore v. Pecore, 2007 SCC 17, [2007] 1 S.C.R. 795
http://scc.lexum.umontreal.ca/en/2007/2007scc17/2007scc17.html
Wills and estates
28 R. v. Mann, 2004 SCC 52, [2004] 3 S.C.R. 59
http://scc.lexum.umontreal.ca/en/2004/2004scc52/2004scc52.html
Search of pockets
29 D.B.S. v. S.R.G.; L.J.W. v. T.A.R.; Henry v. Henry; Hiemstra v.
Hiemstra, 2006 SCC 37, [2006] 2 S.C.R. 231
http://scc.lexum.umontreal.ca/en/2006/2006scc37/2006scc37.html
Retroactive child support
30 R. v. Tessling, 2004 SCC 67, [2004] 3 S.C.R. 432
http://scc.lexum.umontreal.ca/en/2004/2004scc67/2004scc67.html
Search and seizure based on aerial heat imaging
31 Moge v. Moge, [1992] 3 S.C.R. 813
http://scc.lexum.umontreal.ca/en/1992/1992rcs3-813/1992rcs3-813.html
Termination of spousal support
32 R. v. Askov, [1990] 2 S.C.R. 1199
http://scc.lexum.umontreal.ca/en/1990/1990rcs2-1199/1990rcs2-1199.html
Delay in trial
33 R. v. Ferguson, 2008 SCC 6
http://scc.lexum.umontreal.ca/en/2008/2008scc6/2008scc6.html
Cruel and unusual punishment
34 Rodriguez v. British Columbia (Attorney General), [1993] 3 S.C.R. 519
http://scc.lexum.umontreal.ca/en/1993/1993rcs3-519/1993rcs3-519.html
Doctor assisted suicide
35. R. v. A.M., 2008 SCC 19
http://scc.lexum.umontreal.ca/en/2008/2008scc19/2008scc19.html
Drug Dogs in Schools
36. Gurbaj Singh Multani
http://scc.lexum.umontreal.ca/en/2006/2006scc6/2006scc6.html
Wearing a Kirpan (religious dagger at school)
Legal Topics for Police: Interrogations and Confessions
http://www3.telus.net/prtc/Voluntariness.Paper02.html