At first glance, R v Carson, 2018 SCC 12 [Carson] is a criminal law case concerning the interpretation of section 121(1)(d) of the Criminal Code, RSC 185, c C-46 [Criminal Code]. However, the dissent in Carson reveals an important critique of Canada’s relationship with Indigenous peoples. The narrow reading of section 121(1)(d) of the Criminal Code grants First […]
The recent decision Mikisew Cree First Nation v Canada (Governor General in Council), 2018 SCC 40 divided the Supreme Court of Canada ("SCC"), resulting in an unclear way forward for Indigenous communities seeking to protect their Aboriginal and treaty rights during the legislative process. The case arises from the Mikisew Cree Nation’s application for judicial review of […]
In the 25 years since the introduction of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms [“Charter”], the Supreme Court of Canada (“SCC”) has become increasingly open to third-party intervenors, expanding their role within our justice system. However, new questions have arisen about the efficacy of such interventions as the Court opens its doors to more […]
Author’s Note: The author would like to thank Professors Benjamin Berger, Signa Daum Shanks, and Bruce Ryder for their generous and thoughtful contributions, without which this post would not have been possible. This is the second part of a two-part post. Part I offered some insight into the scope and identity of the McLachlin Court, as […]
On December 1, 2017, the Supreme Court of Canada (“SCC”) released First Nation of Nacho Nyak Dun v Yukon, 2017 SCC 58 [Yukon], an important decision concerning the interpretation of modern treaties and, in particular, the Crown’s obligations in land use planning processes established by Yukon Final Agreements. Although this case does not change the […]
Part 1 of TheCourt.ca's coverage of Ktunaxa v BC covered the decision's contribution to freedom of religion jurisprudence. In part 2, I ask: What does an obscure snowy mountain in British Columbia have to do with a much less snowy, much more famed mountain in Jerusalem?
On November 2 the Supreme Court of Canada (SCC) released its much-awaited decision on the matter of Ktunaxa Nation v British Columbia (Forests, Land and Natural Resource Operations). In today’s post, the first of a two-part series, Kristopher Kinsinger assesses how the SCC’s decision on the Ktunaxa Nation’s section 2(a) Charter of Rights and Freedoms […]
After the underdog Ecuadorians’ victory in Chevron Corp v Yaiguaje, 2015 SCC 42, which established that judgements against foreign corporations can be enforced against Canadian subsidiaries, the Goliath Chevron Corporation has struck back with a potentially debilitating blow to the Ecuadorians seeking enforcement of their $9.5 billion award with a motion for security costs. A […]
Every so often, a legal dispute--not (yet) at the Supreme Court, but winding its way through the system--captures the attention of the Canadian public. When this happens, it is not because of the specific legal issue posed and addressed (although obviously this is a component), but because the specific facts of the case attract a […]
The Supreme Court of Canada (the SCC) has long recognized the utility of aspirational values in better understanding the substantive rights guaranteed by the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.