Remedies

In today's seminar, we will debate the following proposition:

    -- "The law of Charter remedies is overly restrictive and is not designed to vindicate Charter rights."

Final remedies:

The foundational case in the area of final remedies is Schachter v. Canada, [1992] 2 S.C.R. 679, (1992), 92 C.L.L.C. 14,036, 10 C.R.R. (2d) 1, 139 N.R. 1, 93 D.L.R. (4th) 1.

The recipe for s. 24(1) remedies is found in Doucet-Boudreau v. Nova Scotia (Minister of Education), [2003] 3 S.C.R. 3

Examples of remedies, some restrictive, some not include:

Vriend v. Alberta, [1998] 1 S.C.R. 493, 156 D.L.R. (4th) 385, 50 C.R.R. (2d) 1, 224 N.R. 1, 212 A.R. 237, 168 W.A.C. 237, 31 C.H.R.R. D/1, 98 C.L.L.C. 230-021, especially at paras. 129-179. (Remedy of "reading in" words rather than just suspending a declaration of invalidity.)

Little Sisters Book and Art Emporium v. Canada (Minister of Justice), [2000] 2 S.C.R. 1120, 193 D.L.R. (4th) 193, 263 N.R. 203, 79 C.R.R. (2d) 189, 150 C.C.C. (3d) 1, 38 C.R. (5th) 209, especially at paras. 154-158. (Specific remedy denied -- customs officials simply to obey principles set out in the judgment.

R. v. Sharpe, [2001] 1 S.C.R. 45, 194 D.L.R. (4th) 1, 150 C.C.C. (3d) 321, 39 C.R. (5th) 72, 264 N.R. 201, [2001] 6 W.W.R. 1, 86 C.R.R. (2d) 1, especially at paras. 111-127. (Remedy of "reading in" words.)

R. v. Hall , [2002] 3 S.C.R. 309, 4 C.R. (6th) 197, 217 D.L.R. (4th) 536, 167 C.C.C. (3d) 449, especially at paras. 43-44 (majority) and paras. 120-128 (dissent). (Members of the Supreme Court sharply disagree over the advisability of reading in.)

Auton (Guardian ad Litem of) v. British Columbia (Attorney General) , 2002 BCCA 538 (B.C.C.A.), particularly at paras. 75-77 (majority) and paras. 124-129 (minority reasons adopted by majority) on the issue of the availability of a mandatory remedy and paras. 93-99 on damages. The case was overturned in the S.C.C.
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Mackin v. New Brunswick (Minister of Finance); Rice v. New Brunswick, [2002] 1 S.C.R. 405 at paras. 78-84. (Principles re when Charter damages are available.)

Canada (Attorney General) v. Hislop, 2007 SCC 10

2.    Interlocutory Remedies

RJR - MacDonald Inc. v. Canada (Attorney Geneeral), [1994] 1 S.C.R. 311, 111 D.L.R. (4th) 385, 54 Q.A.C. 241, 54 C.P.R. (3d) 114, 164 N.R. 1. (interim stays of legislation and administrative decisions)

Little Sisters Book and Art Emporium v. Canada (Commissioner of Customs and Revenue), [2007] 1 S.C.R. 38 (interim costs)  

3.    Exclusion of Evidence

R. v. Stillman, [1997 ] 1 S.C.R. 607, 113 C.C.C. (3d) 321, 144 D.L.R. (4th) 193, 5 C.R. (5th) 1, 209 N.R. 81, 185 N.B.R. (2d) 1, 472 A.P.R. 1, 42 C.R.R. (2d) 189.

Is the law on “conscripted evidence” about to change? See R. v. Grant (Ont. C.A.), leave granted by the S.C.C.

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