Overview

This newly updated edition of Russell and Knopff’s respected book on Supreme Court of Canada decisions will be a valuable resource for students of Canadian politics and law. Edited versions of 48 important SCC decisions are accompanied by brief author introductions and analysis, providing readers with the context and historical relevance of these landmark decisions.

TopOnline Cases

Dozens of additional edited cases (with introductions) are available online at www.emp.ca/SCCdecisions. (A password is required. Please contact Mike Thompson at mthompson@emp.ca.)

TopContent Summary

Introductory Essay: Judicial Review and the Canadian Constitution

PART ONE: THE DIVISION OF POWERS

A. The Privy Council's Legacy

 1. Citizens Insurance Co. v. Parsons, 1881
 2. Russell v. The Queen, 1882
 3. Liquidators of the Maritime Bank v. Receiver General of New Brunswick, 1892
 4. Local Prohibition Case, 1896
 5. In re Board of Commerce Act and Combines and Fair Prices Act, 1919, 1922
 6. Toronto Electric Commissioners v. Snider, 1925
 7. In re Regulation and Control of Aeronautics in Canada, 1932
 8. Employment and Social Insurance Act Reference, 1937
 9. Labour Conventions Reference, 1937
10. Reference re Abolition of Pricy Council Appeals, 1947

B. The Supreme Court Since 1949

11. Johannesson v. West St. Paul, 1952
12. Chicken and Egg Reference, 1971
13. Reference re Anti-Inflation Act, 1976
14. Canadian Industrial Gas & Oil Ltd. v. Government of Saskatchewan, 1978
15. Labatt v. Attorney General of Canada, 1980
16. The Queen v. Crown Zellerbach Canada Ltd., 1988
17. Reference re Canada Assistance Plan (B.C.), 1991
18. R. v. Hydro-Quebec, 1997

PART TWO: RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS

A. Fundamental Rights and Freedoms in the B.N.A. Act

19. The Alberta Press Case, 1938
20. Saumur v. Quebec and Attorney General of Quebec, 1953

B. The Canadian Bill of Rights

21. Attorney General of Canada v. Lavell and Bedard, 1974

C. The Charter of Rights and Freedoms

22. Big M Drug Mart Ltd. v. The Queen, 1985
23. Reference re B.C. Motor Vehicle Act, 1985
24. The Queen v. Oakes, 1986
25. Morgentaler v. The Queen, 1988
26. Quebec v. Ford et al. (Quebec Sign Case), 1988
27. Mahe v. Alberta, 1990
28. R. v. Keegstra, 1990
29. R. v. Seaboyer; R. v. Gayme, 1991
30. R. v. Butler, 1992
31. RJR-MacDonald Inc. v. Canada (Attorney General), 1995
32. Law v. Canada (Minister of Employment and Immigration), 1999
33. M v. H., 1999
34. Sauvé v. Canada (Chief Electoral Officer), 2002
35. Reference re Same-Sex Marriage, 2004
36. Chaoulli v. Quebec (Attorney General), 2005
37. Health Services and Support—FSBA v. British Columbia, 2007

PART THREE: ABORIGINAL RIGHTS

38. R. v. Sparrow, 1990
39. Delgamuukw v. British Columbia, 1997
40. R. v. Marshall (First Marshall Decision), 1999
41. R. v. Marshall (Second Marshall Decision), 1999
42. Haida Nation v. British Columbia (Ministry of Forests), 2004

PART FOUR: CONSTITUTIONAL CHANGE

43. Persons Case, 1930
44. P.E.I. Potato Marketing Board v. H.B. Willis Inc., 1952
45. Senate Reference, 1981
46. Patriation Reference, 1981
47. Quebec Veto Reference, 1982
48. Reference re Secession of Quebec, 1998

Appendix 1: The Constitution Act, 1867
Appendix 2: The Constitution Act, 1982

TopAbout the Authors

Peter H. Russell is a Professor in the Political Science Department at the University of Toronto.

Rainer Knopff is a Professor in the Department of Political Science at the University of Calgary.

Thomas Bateman is Associate Professor and Chair of the Department of Political Science at St. Thomas University in Fredericton.

Janet Hiebert is a Professor in the Department of Political Studies at Queen’s University in Kingston.