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: 2015
Province or Territory: Alberta
Court: Court of Appeal of Alberta
Citation: 2014 ABCA 71
Category: Legislative and judicial bilingualism
The Court of Appeal of Alberta determined that the right to publish legislation in French in Alberta is not protected by the Constitution. a) BackgroundFootnote 1 Gilles Caron...Year: 2015
Province or Territory: British Columbia
Court: Supreme Court of Canada
Citation: 2015 SCC 21
Category: Minority-language education rights
The Supreme Court of Canada established the manner in which a court should assess whether the educational experience of children who attend minority language schools is equivalent to that provided in majority language schools, in accordance with section 23 of the ...Year: 2015
Province or Territory: Ontario
Court: Federal Court
Citation: 2015 FC 1230
Category: Language rights and services to the public
The Federal Court analyzed the scope of federal institutions’ obligations—specifically, those of the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA)—under Part V of the Official Languages Act on language of work. It also analyzed the interpretation of ...Year: 2015
Province or Territory: Ontario
Court: Federal Court
Citation: 2015 FC 862
Category: Language rights in the federal public service
This case was about a complainant’s right to apply to the Federal Court for a remedy under section 77 of the Official Languages Act (the Act) after the Commissioner has reported that he was satisfied with the measures taken by a federal institution in response...Year: 2015
Province or Territory: Northwest Territories
Court: Court of Appeal for the Northwest Territories
Citation: 2015 NWTCA 1
Category: Minority-language education rights
The Court of Appeal for the Northwest Territories ruled on the scope of the government’s discretion regarding admission to École Boréale, the French school in Hay River, and the constitutionality of a ministerial directive curtailing the power of the...Year: 2015
Province or Territory: Yukon
Court: Supreme Court of Canada
Citation: 2015 SCC 25
Category: Minority-language education rights
The Supreme Court of Canada examined three issues in this appeal. The central issue was the Court of Appeal of Yukon’s finding that the trial judge’s conduct gave rise to a reasonable apprehension of bias. The Supreme Court of Canada also reviewed two legal issues that the Court of Appeal did...Year: 2015
Province or Territory: Northwest Territories
Court: Court of Appeal for the Northwest Territories
Citation: 2015 NWTCA 2
Category: Minority-language education rights
The issue in this appeal was whether the French minority language school in Yellowknife, École Allain St-Cyr (EASC), met the minimum constitutional standards. The Supreme Court of Canada refused the application for leave to appeal this decision...Year: 2015
Province or Territory: Alberta
Court: Provincial Court of Alberta
Citation: 2015 ABPC 280
Category: Legislative and judicial bilingualism
As part of a special application filed by the defendants/applicants, the Provincial Court of Alberta ruled on the Federal Crown’s obligation to file information in both official languages. Context On May 17, 2013, a worker was involved in an accident at a work site in Sherwood Park, Alberta....Year: 2015
Province or Territory: Quebec
Court: Federal Court
Citation: 2015 FC 192
Category: Legislative and judicial bilingualism
The Federal Court interpreted Part III of the Official Languages Act as part of an application for an interlocutory injunction. Context Energy East Pipeline Ltd (Energy East) and TransCanada PipeLines Limited submitted a description of their project to the National Energy Board (the Board) and...Year: 2015
Province or Territory: Ontario
Court: Federal Court of Appeal
Citation: 2015 FCA 251
Category: Vitality and development of official language minority communities
Context In 2009, CBC/Radio-Canada announced substantial budget cuts that had an impact on the local and regional content developed by CBEF Windsor, the only French-language radio station in southwestern Ontario. These cuts significantly affected the number of employees at CBEF Windsor, the...Filter by year
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