— Big M. Drug Mart case (1985): A drugstore was accused of selling items in Calgary on Sunday, contrary to the federal Lord’s Day Act. The Supreme Court found the law infringed the Charter of Rights guarantee of freedom of religion.
— Vriend case (1988): Delwin Vriend, was dismissed from an Edmonton college after acknowledging he was gay. The court ruled the failure to include sexual orientation as an illegal ground for discrimination in the Alberta Individual Rights Protection Act violated the equality rights provision of the Charter.
— Morgentaler case (1988): In response to a case brought by Dr. Henry Morgentaler and other abortion rights advocates, the Supreme Court ruled the Criminal Code law on abortion violated a woman’s Charter guarantee of life, liberty and security of the person.
— Marshall case (1999): Donald Marshall Jr., a Mi’kmaq man from Nova Scotia, was found guilty of fishery violations after catching eel off-season without a licence. The Supreme Court reversed his convictions, recognizing hunting and fishing rights promised in historic treaties between the British and the M’kmaq.
— Jordan case (2016): The Charter says someone charged with an offence has the right to be tried within a reasonable time. Under a framework established by the court in the R. v. Jordan case, an unreasonable delay is presumed if proceedings — from the criminal charge to the conclusion of a trial — exceed 18 months in provincial court, or 30 months in superior court.
(Sources: Supreme Court of Canada, The Canadian Encyclopedia, The Canadian Press, The Osgoode Society for Canadian Legal History)
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 6, 2025.
The Canadian Press