Court decisions
This database presents summaries of key court decisions in Canada related to official languages and of events relating to language rights since 2003. These summaries have been prepared by the Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages of Canada.
This database is not exhaustive. It was designed to be used as a reference tool for people directly or indirectly interested in language rights. The database is updated on an ongoing basis.
Applied Filter(s)
Year: 2014
Province or Territory: Yukon
Court: Court of Appeal of Yukon
Citation: 2014 YKCA 4
Category: Minority-language education rights
The Court of Appeal of Yukon interpreted the concept of rights holders within the meaning of section 23 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms (Charter) and the provisions of Yukon’s Languages Act...Year: 2014
Province or Territory: Ontario
Court: Ontario Superior Court
Citation: 2014 ONSC 948
Category: Minority-language education rights
The Ontario Superior Court of Justice determined whether differences in student transportation policies constituted a violation of section 23 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms (Charter). Background The school bus that carries the...Year: 2014
Province or Territory: Ontario
Court: Supreme Court of Canada
Citation: 2014 SCC 67, [2014] 3 S.C.R. 340
Category: Language rights and services to the public
In Thibodeau v Air Canada, the Supreme Court of Canada held that the Convention for the Unification of Certain Rules for International Carriage by Air (the Montreal Convention) precludes awarding damages under section 77...Year: 2014
Province or Territory: Ontario
Court: Federal Court
Citation: 2014 FC 849
Category: Vitality and development of official language minority communities
The Federal Court confirms the Commissioner of Official Languages’ jurisdiction to investigate complaints received against CBC/Radio-Canada and clarifies how Part VII of the Official Languages Act (OLA) applies. Background In March 2009,...5. Parsons v R
Year: 2014
Province or Territory: Quebec
Court: Court of Appeal of Quebec
Citation: 2014 QCCA 2206
Category: Legislative and judicial bilingualism
The Court of Appeal of Quebec ruled on the language rights of the accused when the defence counsel and Crown prosecutors do not speak the official language of the accused. Summary Mr. Parsons, an Anglophone accused, was found guilty of sexual interference and invitation to sexual touching in...Year: 2014
Province or Territory: Ontario
Court: Ontario Court of Justice
Citation: 2014 ONCJ 480
Category: Legislative and judicial bilingualism
The Ontario Court of Justice decided on the right to a bilingual hearing in a family law case under section 126 of the Courts of Justice ActFootnote 1. Summary In this case, the Court was asked to review a protection application...Year: 2014
Province or Territory: New Brunswick
Court: Court of Queen’s Bench of New Brunswick
Citation: 2014 NBBR 154
Category: Legislative and judicial bilingualism
The Court of Queen’s Bench of New Brunswick examined the validity of legal proceedings as well as municipal by-laws adopted by the Town of Riverview, according to the Official Languages Act of New Brunswick (the “NB OLA”)Footnote 1...8. R v Mathieu
Year: 2014
Province or Territory: Ontario
Court: Ontario Superior Court of Justice
Citation: 2014 ONSC 6124
Category: Language rights and services to the public
The Superior Court of Justice of Ontario was asked to determine the validity of statements made by a Francophone accused during his questioning in English by the police. Background Mr. Mathieu was accused of attempted murder, suffocation and aggravated assault. The Crown sought to present as...9. R v Munkonda
Year: 2014
Province or Territory: Ontario
Court: Court of Appeal for Ontario
Citation: 2015 ONCA 309
Category: Legislative and judicial bilingualism
The Court of Appeal for Ontario had to decide whether to uphold a decision of a certiorari judge who declined to award a remedy to an accused who claimed that his language rights had been violated in a criminal proceeding. Background The appellant was one of eight people charged with...Year: 2014
Province or Territory: Ontario
Court: Ontario Superior Court of Justice
Citation: 2015 ONSC 5328
Category: Minority-language education rights
The Conseil des Écoles Publiques de l’Est de l’Ontario (CEPEO) and Claude Provost brought this motion seeking an interlocutory injunction to suspend the application of certain administrative regulations of the respondent, the Ontario Federation of School...Filter by year
Filter by court
- Court of Appeal for Ontario 1 Apply Court of Appeal for Ontario filter
- Court of Appeal of Quebec 1 Apply Court of Appeal of Quebec filter
- Court of Appeal of Yukon 1 Apply Court of Appeal of Yukon filter
- Court of Queen’s Bench of New Brunswick 1 Apply Court of Queen’s Bench of New Brunswick filter
- Federal Court 1 Apply Federal Court filter
- Ontario Court of Justice 1 Apply Ontario Court of Justice filter
- Ontario Superior Court 1 Apply Ontario Superior Court filter
- Ontario Superior Court of Justice 2 Apply Ontario Superior Court of Justice filter
- Supreme Court of Canada 1 Apply Supreme Court of Canada filter
Filter by province / territory
Filter by category
- Legislative and judicial bilingualism 4 Apply Legislative and judicial bilingualism filter
- Minority-language education rights 3 Apply Minority-language education rights filter
- Language rights and services to the public 2 Apply Language rights and services to the public filter
- Vitality and development of official language minority communities 1 Apply Vitality and development of official language minority communities filter