Landmark Decisions of Canadian Courts (1980-2021)
Find here a selection of major constitutional and administrative decisions handed down by Canadian courts since 1980
The following table was compiled using Canadian textbooks and treatises.
The decisions are listed in chronological order. The table refers to the French version of each decision when available; both versions are cited in the corresponding case notes where applicable.
In addition, the official French translation has been used throughout case notes. Only the decisions that were never officially translated (those of the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council and certain older Supreme Court decisions) have been translated in French by the author of these notes.
The topics identified are: separation of powers; federalism; civil rights; fundamental rights; and fundamental principles of constitutional law.
Citation
Court
Issue
Keywords
Summary
19
Canada (Minister of Justice) v Borowski [1981] 2 SCR 575
Supreme Court
Judicial Review
Standing ; Borowski test ; reproductive rights
20
Reference Re Resolution to amend the Constitution [1981] 1 SCR 753
Supreme Court
Fundamental principles of constitutional law
Constitutional convention ; constitutional amendment ; patriation
21
Supreme Court
Federalism
Constitutional convention ; constitutional amendment ; patriation
22
Canada (Labour Relations Board) v Paul L’Anglais Inc. [1983] 1 SCR147
Supreme Court
Judicial Review
Decentralized judicial review ; inherent jurisdiction ; concurrent powers ; federalism
23
Guerin v The Queen [1984] 2 SCR 335
Supreme Court
Fundamental principles of constitutional law
Indigenous rights ; fiduciary duty
24
Reference Re Manitoba Language Rights [1985] 1 SCR 721
Supreme Court
Fundamental rights
Language rights ; bilingualism ; delayed declaration of invalidity
25
Beauregard v Canada [1986] 2 SCR 56
Supreme Court
Fundamental principles of constitutional law
Unwritten constitutionalism ; independence of the judiciary ; rule of law
26
R v Oakes [1986] 1 SCR 103
Supreme Court
Judicial Review
Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms ; limitation clause ; proportionality
27
R v Morgentaler [1988] 1 SCR 30
Supreme Court
Fundamental rights
Reproductive rights ; Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms ; abortion
28
Ford v Quebec (AG) [1988] 2 SCR 712
Supreme Court
Federalism
Language rights ; Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms ; freedom of speech ; conduct of business
30
Tremblay v Daigle [1989] 2 SCR 530
Supreme Court
Fundamental rights
Reproductive rights ; fetal personhood
31
General Motors of Canada Ltd v City National Leasing [1989] 1 SCR 641
Supreme Court
Fundamental principles of constitutional law
Ancillary effects ; pith and substance ; judicial review
32
Mackeigan v Hickman [1989] 2 SCR 796
Supreme Court
Separation of powers
Judicial independence ; judicial immunity
33
Irwin Toy Ltd. v Quebec (AG) [1989] 1 SCR 927
Supreme Court
Fundamental rights
Freedom of speech ; Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms ; conduct of business
34
R v Sparrow [1990] 1 SCR 1075
Supreme Court
Fundamental principles of constitutional law
Indigenous rights ; fiduciary duty
35
Supreme Court
Judicial Review
Standing ; Borowski test
36
Supreme Court
Judicial Review
Objective impartiality ; federal agencies ; duty of fairness
37
Supreme Court
Separation of powers
Parliamentary privileges ; unwritten constitutional principles ; constitutional conventions
38
Supreme Court
Separation of powers
Judicial independence ; absence of bias ; unwritten constitutional principles
39
Delgamuukw v. British Columbia [1997] 3 SCR 1010
Supreme Court
Fundamental principles of constitutional law
Indigenous rights ; aboriginal title
40
Reference Re Secession of Quebec [1998] 2 SCR 217
Supreme Court
Federalism
Secession of Quebec ; right to secede ; unwritten constitutional principles ; referendum
41
Baker v Canada (Minister of Citizenship and Immigration) [1999] 2 SCR 817
Supreme Court
Judicial Review
Administrative litigation ; standard of review ; procedural fairness
42
Arsenault-Cameron v Prince Edward Island [2000] 1 SCR 3
Supreme Court
Fundamental rights
Language rights ; French-linguistic minority ; bilingualism
43
Reference Re Same-Sex Marriage [2004] 3 SCR 698
Supreme Court
Fundamental rights
Sexual orientation ; living tree doctrine ; freedom of religion
44
British Columbia v Imperial Tobacco Canada Ltd [2005] 2 SCR 473
Supreme Court
Fundamental principles of constitutional law
Unwritten constitutional law principles ; judicial independence ; rule of law ; pith and substance
45
Canada (House of Commons) v Vaid [2005] 1 SCR 667
Supreme Court
Separation of powers
Parliamentary privilege ; doctrine of necessity
46
Dunsmuir v New Brunswick [2008] 1 SCR 190
Supreme Court
Judicial Review
Administrative litigation ; reasonableness ; correctness
47
Tsilhqot’in Nation v British Columbia [2014] 2 SCR 257
Supreme Court
Fundamental rights
Indigenous rights ; aboriginal title
48
Reference Re Senate Reform [2014] 1 SCR 704
Supreme Court
Federalism
Constitutional amendment ; amending formula ; upper house
49
Daniels v Canada (Indian Affairs and Northern Development) [2016] 1 SCR 99
Supreme Court
Fundamental rights
Indigenous rights ; Indian status
50
Toronto (City) v Ontario (Attorney General) [2021] 2 SCR 845
Supreme Court
Fundamental principles of constitutional law
Freedom of speech ; unwritten constitutional principles ; democracy