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: 2012
Province or Territory: Northwest Territories
Court: Supreme Court of the Northwest Territories
Citation: 2012 NWTSC 43 / 2012 NWTSC 44
Category: Minority-language education rights
These two proceedings concerned the scope of the obligations of the Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) as regards French-language education for the French linguistic minority population of the Northwest Territories. Background Two similar proceedings were initiated, one regarding the...Year: 2013
Province or Territory: Northwest Territories
Court: Supreme Court of the Northwest Territories
Citation: 2013 NWTSC 22
Category: Legislative and judicial bilingualism
In this case, the Supreme Court of the Northwest Territories had to determine an appropriate remedy for the violation of the accused’s right to a trial in the language of his choice. Summary Mr. Latour was convicted of a number of charges under the Criminal Code...Year: 2008
Province or Territory: Northwest Territories
Court: Supreme Court of the Northwest Territories
Citation: 2008 NWTSC 53
Category: Minority-language education rights
Due to a lack of space and access to certain services at École Boréale in Hay River, the plaintiffs sought an order forcing the government of the Northwest Territories to take immediate measures to address the problems faced by the school. The motion was heard...Year: 2008
Province or Territory: Northwest Territories
Court: Supreme Court of the Northwest Territories
Citation: 2008 NWTSC 65
Category: Minority-language education rights
On July 7, 2008, the Minister of Education of the Northwest Territories issued a directive limiting access to the two schools overseen by the school board to the children of parents who are rights holders under section 23 of the Canadian...Year: 2008
Province or Territory: Northwest Territories
Court: Supreme Court of the Northwest Territories
Citation: 2008 NWTSC 66
Category: Minority-language education rights
In this motion, also heard on August 21, 2008, the government of the Northwest Territories asked the Court to modify the original order compelling the government to take interim measures. The government claimed that it had been taken by surprise by the Court’s order,...Year: 2008
Province or Territory: Northwest Territories
Court: Court of Appeal for the Northwest Territories
Citation: 2008 NWTCA 06
Category: Language rights and services to the public
This appeal and cross-appeal concerned the scope of language rights in the Northwest Territories (NWT) arising from the Northwest Territories’ Official Languages Act (NWT OLA)Footnote 1. The case, on appeal from the judgment of...Year: 2006
Province or Territory: Northwest Territories
Court: Supreme Court of the Northwest Territories
Citation: 2006 NWTSC 20
Category: Language rights and services to the public
In this caseFootnote 1, the Supreme Court of the Northwest Territories was asked to rule on the nature and scope of the language obligations of the Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) and the federal government in the Northwest...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: 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: 2019
Province or Territory: Northwest Territories
Court: Supreme Court of the Northwest Territories
Citation: 2019 NWTSC 25
Category: Minority-language education rights
Background W.B.’s parents immigrated to Canada and settled in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories. Their son, W.B., was born a few months after their arrival. W.B. is a Canadian citizen and is fluent in Dutch, English and French. From the age of two, W.B. attended French-language daycare. W.B...