Charter: A Course - A podcast about Canadian Constitutional Law & Litigation

Charter: A Course A podcast about Canadian Constitutional Law & Litigation Season 4, Episode 7: Section 25 of the Charter and Dickson v Vuntut Gwitchin FN This episode marks the second of a two-part series on Indigenous self-determination and its intersections with the Constitution and the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. This episode focuses on Section 25 of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms and the recent Supreme Court of Canada decision in Dickson v Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation. Section 25 guarantees that certain rights and freedoms in the Charter “shall not be construed so as to abrogate or derogate from any aboriginal, treaty or other rights or freedoms that pertain to the aboriginal peoples of Canada including: a) any rights or freedoms that have been recognized by the Royal Proclamation of October 7, 1763; and b) any rights or freedoms that now exist by way of land claim agreements or may be so acquired.” In the first part of the episode, Cheryl speaks with Professor Kerry Wilkins to discuss the meaning of Section 25 of the Charter, its history, its recent application, and its intersection with the implementation of UNDRIP, the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples in Canada. In the Practice Corner, Cheryl speaks with Indigenous rights lawyer Kris Statnyk, a citizen of the Vuntut Gwitchin FN about his legal practice and his experience representing the Vuntut Gwitchin FN in the Dickson appeal. Find a FULL transcript of this episode HERE. Case Links and other Resources In this episode, the following cases, Declaration, book and paper were discussed/mentioned: Dickson v. Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation, 2024 SCC 10 Kahkewistahaw First Nation v. Taypotat, 2015 SCC 30, [2015] 2 S.C.R. 548 Eldridge v. British Columbia (Attorney General), [1997] 3 S.C.R. 624 United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Indigenous Difference and the Constitution of Canada by Patrick Macklem (2001, U of T Press)Reference re An Act respecting First Nations, Inuit and Métis children, youth and families, 2024 SCC 5 Naiomi Metallic, "Checking our Attachment to the Charter and Respecting Indigenous Legal Orders: A Framework for Charter Application to Indigenous Governments" (2022) 31:2 Constitutional Forum constitutionnel 3 Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada: Calls to Action About the Series Charter: A Course is a podcast created by the David Asper Centre for Constitutional Rights (the Asper Centre) and hosted by the Asper Centre’s Executive Director Cheryl Milne. Charter: A Course focuses on leading Canadian constitutional cases and current constitutional law issues, highlighting strategic aspects of constitutional litigation and exploring what it’s like to practice in this area of law in our Practice Corner segment. Whether you are a law student, a lawyer, or just an interested person, we hope that you learn about an aspect of constitutional law and litigation that interests you in our podcast. Thank You’s Thank you to our wonderful guests on this episode, Prof Kerry Wilkins and Kris Statnyk! Thank you to University of Toronto Faculty of Law JD students Joshua Schwartz, Meg Zhang and Emma Blanchfield, who greatly assisted with the development and production of this episode. Thank you also to Flint Patterson, former Asper Centre podcast producer and JD at the University of Toronto Faculty of Law for initially proposing this episode topic (we just had to wait until the SCC issued its decision). Thank you, as always, to our excellent audio editor Liam Morrison of Bell Room Media Solutions. Thank you to the creators of our theme music, Charter: A Course! Constitutional law professor Howie Kislowicz and law professor Rob Currie gave us the licence to use their constitutional law shanty in exchange for a donation to the Calgary Food Bank. The song’s performers are Vanessa Carroll, Rob Currie, Howie Kislowicz, Avinash Kowshik, Anna Lund, Patricia Paradis, Elin Sigurdson, Lyle

Charter: A Course A podcast about Canadian Constitutional Law & Litigation Season 4, Episode 5: Section 32(1) of the Charter: Application to Quasi-Government Bodies This episode focuses on section 32(1) of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, which says that the Charter applies to the Parliament and government of Canada in respect of all matters within the authority of Parliament and to the legislature and government of each province in respect of all matters within the authority of the legislature of each province. With the help of our guest, Susan Ursel, who was the Asper Centre's Constitutional Litigator in Residence in 2018, we explore the Supreme Court’s approach to when and how the Charter applies to quasi-government bodies, such as school boards, universities, colleges and hospitals. And we discuss Susan’s experience representing the Asper Centre in its intervention in the York Region District School Board case. In the Practice Corner, Cheryl speaks with research lawyer Jennifer Taylor, who was a co-author of “Strengthening the Pillars: Report of the TMU External Review,” about the application of the Charter to university settings, looking at the values these institutions uphold, such as freedom of expression and academic freedom, which are similar to the Charter rights of freedom of expression and conscience. Find a FULL transcript of this episode HERE. Case Links and other Resources In this episode, the following cases and report were discussed: McKinney v. University of Guelph, [1990] 3 S.C.R. 229 Douglas/Kwantlen Faculty Assn. v. Douglas College, [1990] 3 S.C.R. 570 University of Toronto (Governing Council) v. Doe et al. 2024 ONSC 3755 York Region District School Board v. Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario, 2024 SCC 22 Doré v. Barreau du Québec, 2012 SCC 12, [2012] 1 S.C.R. 395 Eldridge v. British Columbia (Attorney General), [1997] 3 S.C.R. 624 Stoffman v. Vancouver General Hospital, [1990] 3 S.C.R. 483 Law Society of British Columbia v. Trinity Western University, 2018 SCC 32, [2018] 2 S.C.R. 293 Strengthening the Pillars: Report of the TMU External Review Thank You’s Thank you to our wonderful guests on this episode, Susan Ursel and Jennifer Taylor! Thank you to University of Toronto Faculty of Law JD student Leon Xu, who helped with the production of this episode. Thank you to our audio editor Liam Morrison of Bell Room Media Solutions. Thank you to the creators of our theme music, Charter: A Course! Constitutional law professor Howie Kislowicz and law professor Rob Currie gave us the licence to use their constitutional law shanty in exchange for a donation to the Calgary Food Bank. The song’s performers are Vanessa Carroll, Rob Currie, Howie Kislowicz, Avinash Kowshik, Anna Lund, Patricia Paradis, Elin Sigurdson, Lyle Skinner, and Dave Wright. You can listen to the entire shanty here: Charter a Course. Please consider contributing to your local food bank. About the Series Charter: A Course is a podcast created by the David Asper Centre for Constitutional Rights (the Asper Centre) and hosted by the Asper Centre’s Executive Director Cheryl Milne. Charter: A Course focuses on leading Canadian constitutional cases and current constitutional law issues, highlighting strategic aspects of constitutional litigation and exploring what it’s like to practice in this area of law in our Practice Corner segment. Whether you are a law student, a lawyer, or just an interested person, we hope that you learn about an aspect of constitutional law and litigation that interests you in our podcast.

Charter: A Course A podcast about Canadian Constitutional Law & Litigation Season 4, Episode 3: Section 12 of the Charter About the Series Charter: A Course is a podcast created by the David Asper Centre for Constitutional Rights (the Asper Centre) and hosted by the Asper Centre’s Executive Director Cheryl Milne. Charter: A Course focuses on leading Canadian constitutional cases and current constitutional law issues, highlighting strategic aspects of constitutional litigation and exploring what it’s like to practice in this area of law in our Practice Corner segment. Whether you are a law student, a lawyer, or just an interested person, we hope that you learn about an aspect of constitutional law and litigation that interests you in our podcast. Show Notes This episode focuses on Section 12 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, which provides that everyone has the right not to be subjected to any cruel and unusual treatment or punishment. Joining Cheryl to discuss the most significant jurisprudence and application of Section 12 is Professor Lisa Kerr, an associate professor and the director of the criminal law group at Queen's University Faculty of Law, who has worked and researched extensively in the fields of sentencing and prison law. In the Practice Corner, Cheryl is joined by Catherine Latimer, the Executive Director of the John Howard Society of Canada since 2011, the current President of the National Associations Active in Criminal Justice and a member of the Order of Canada. Ms. Latimer discusses how the John Howard Society of Canada’s efforts to reform administrative segregation in Canada have been pursued through various types of advocacy, including litigation and participation in the legislative process. Find a FULL transcript of this episode HERE. Case Links and other Resources In this episode, the following cases, papers, Bill and reports were mentioned/discussed: United States v. Burns, [2001] 1 S.C.R. 283, 2001 SCC 7 R. v. Bissonnette, 2022 SCC 23 Quebec (Attorney General) v. 9147-0732 Québec inc., 2020 SCC 32, [2020] 3 S.C.R. 426 R. v. Hills, 2023 SCC 2 R. v. Smith, [1987] 1 S.C.R. 1045 R. v. Nur, 2015 SCC 15, [2015] 1 S.C.R. 773 R. v. Hilbach, 2023 SCC 3 R. v. Bertrand Marchand, 2023 SCC 26 R. v. Gladue, [1999] 1 S.C.R. 688 Lisa Kerr and Benjamin Berger, “Methods and Severity: The Two Tracks of Section 12” (2020), 94 S.C.L.R. (2d) 235 British Columbia Civil Liberties Association v. Canada (Attorney General), 2019 BCCA 228 (CanLII) Canadian Civil Liberties Association v. Canada, 2019 ONCA 342 (CanLII) Boudreault, 2018 SCC 58, [2018] 3 S.C.R. 599 Ashley Smith Coroner’s Report (final verdict) Bill C-83 An Act to amend the Corrections and Conditional Release Act and another Act (Royal Assent) Charter Rights and Structured Intervention Units: Have Rights Abuses of Administrative Segregation Been Corrected? Report by the John Howard Society and the Asper Centre The Doob Sprott Reports on Structure Intervention Units. Thank You’s Thank you to our wonderful guests on this episode, Professor Lisa Kerr and Catherine Latimer. Thank you to University of Toronto Faculty of Law JD student Kate Shackleton, who helped with the background research and development of this episode. Thank you to our audio editor Liam Morrison of Bell Room Media Solutions. Thank you to the creators of our theme music, Charter: A Course! Constitutional law professor Howie Kislowicz and law professor Rob Currie gave us the licence to use their constitutional law shanty in exchange for a donation to the Calgary Food Bank. The song’s performers are Vanessa Carroll, Rob Currie, Howie Kislowicz, Avinash Kowshik, Anna Lund, Patricia Paradis, Elin Sigurdson, Lyle Skinner, and Dave Wright. You can listen to the entire shanty here: Charter a Course. Please consider contributing to your local food bank.

Charter: A Course A podcast about Canadian Constitutional Law & Litigation Season 4, Episode 1: Constitutional Remedies About the Series Charter: A Course is a podcast created by the David Asper Centre for Constitutional Rights (the Asper Centre) and hosted by the Asper Centre’s Executive Director Cheryl Milne. Charter: A Course focuses on leading Canadian constitutional cases and current constitutional law issues, highlighting strategic aspects of constitutional litigation and exploring what it’s like to practice in this area of law in our Practice Corner segment. Whether you are a law student, a lawyer, or just an interested person, we hope that you learn about an aspect of constitutional law and litigation that interests you in our podcast. Show Notes This episode focuses on Constitutional Remedies in Canada. With the help of our esteemed guest Professor Kent Roach, we will be discussing the various remedies that a court can order when it finds that a law or action is unconstitutional, in order to rectify the constitutional violation. For our regular listeners, please note that this episode’s “Practice Corner,” which features criminal defense lawyer Megan Savard, will drop as a separate full episode next week, as Season 4’s Episode 2. Check it out soon! Find a FULL transcript of this episode HERE. Case Links and other Resources In this episode, the following cases, books and papers were discussed: La Rose v. Canada, 2023 FCA 241 (CanLII) R v.Big M Drug Mart Ltd., [1985] 1 S.C.R. 295 British Columbia (Attorney General) v Council of Canadians with Disabilities, 2022 SCC 27 Canada (Attorney General) v. Downtown Eastside Sex Workers United Against Violence Society, 2012 SCC 45, [2012] 2 S.C.R. 524Re Manitoba Language Rights, [1985] 1 S.C.R. 721 Carter v. Canada (Attorney General), 2015 SCC 5, [2015] 1 S.C.R. 331 Ontario (Attorney General) v. G, 2020 SCC 38, [2020] 3 S.C.R. 629 R v Albashir, 2021 SCC 48, [2021] 3 S.C.R. 531 R v. Seaboyer; R. v.Gayme, [1991] 2 S.C.R. 577 Vriend v. Alberta, [1998] 1 S.C.R. 493 Doucet-Boudreau v. Nova Scotia (Minister of Education), [2003] 3 S.C.R. 3, 2003 SCC 62 Little Sisters Book and Art Emporium v. Canada (Minister of Justice), [2000] 2 S.C.R. 1120 Vancouver (City) v. Ward, 2010 SCC 27, [2010] 2 S.C.R. 28 Mackin v. New Brunswick (Minister of Finance); Rice v. New Brunswick, [2002] 1 S.C.R. 405, 2002 SCC 13 Canada (Attorney General) v. Power, 2024 SCC 26 Thomas v. Rio Tinto Alcan Inc., 2024 BCCA 62 Ontario (Attorney General) v. Restoule, 2024 SCC 27 Roach, Kent Remedies for Human Rights Violations (Cambridge University Press, 2021) Roach, Kent Constitutional Remedies in Canada (Thomson Reuters, 2017-) Roach, Kent “A Promising Late Spring for Charter Damages: Ward v Vancouver (2011)” National Journal of Constitutional Law 145-167 Schenk, Adam “Ward by the Numbers: Application of the Seminal Decision on Charter Damages” (2024) 45 NJCL 55 (available via Westlaw). About the Asper Centre The Asper Centre, a part of the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Law since 2008, is devoted to realizing constitutional rights through advocacy, research and education. The Centre aims to play a vital role in articulating Canada’s constitutional vision to the broader world. The cornerstone of the Centre is a legal clinic that brings together students, faculty and members of the bar to work on significant constitutional cases and advocacy initiatives. The Centre was established through a generous gift from U of T law alumnus David Asper (LLM ’07). Thank You’s Thank you to our guest on this episode, Professor Kent Roach. Thank you to University of Toronto Faculty of Law JD student Kate Shackleton, who helped with the production of this episode. Thank you to our audio editor Liam Morrison of Bell Room Media Solutions. Thank you to the creators of our theme music, “Charter a Course”, Constitutional law professor Howie Kislowicz and law professor Rob Currie gave us the licenc

About the Series Charter: A Course is a podcast created by the David Asper Centre for Constitutional Rights (the Asper Centre) and hosted by the Asper Centre’s Executive Director Cheryl Milne. Charter: A Course focuses on leading Canadian constitutional cases and current constitutional law issues, highlighting strategic aspects of constitutional litigation and exploring what it’s like to practice in this area of law in our Practice Corner segment. Whether you are a law student, a lawyer, or just an interested person, we hope that you learn about an aspect of constitutional law and litigation that interests you in our podcast. Show Notes This episode focuses on mobility rights in Canada. Mobility rights are enshrined in section 6 of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms and include the right to individual mobility, as well as the right to economic mobility, such as the right to pursue a livelihood in any province. This episode will focus on individual mobility and the fundamental rights to enter, remain, move throughout, and leave Canada. To help us unpack the meaning and extent of mobility rights under the Charter, we are joined by our guests Barbara Jackman and Paul Champ in the “Practice Corner.” Find a FULL transcript of this episode HERE. Case Links and other Resources In this episode, the following cases, factum and paper were discussed: Kamel v Canada (Attorney General) et al.. (2013) 448 N.R. 217 (FCA) (link to Supreme Court docket for leave to appeal, but Court denied leave) Abdelrazik v. Canada (Minister of Foreign Affairs) (F.C.) United States of America v. Cotroni [1989] 1 SCR 1469 Divito v. Canada (Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness) 2013 SCC 47 Canada v. Boloh 1(A), 2023 FCA 60 (CanLII) Taylor v. Newfoundland and Labrador, 2020 NLSC 125 (CanLII) About the Asper Centre The Asper Centre, a part of the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Law since 2008, is devoted to realizing constitutional rights through advocacy, research and education. The Centre aims to play a vital role in articulating Canada’s constitutional vision to the broader world. The cornerstone of the Centre is a legal clinic that brings together students, faculty and members of the bar to work on significant constitutional cases and advocacy initiatives. The Centre was established through a generous gift from U of T law alumnus David Asper (LLM ’07). Thank You’s Thank you to our wonderful guests on this episode, Barbara Jackman and Paul Champ! Thank you to University of Toronto Faculty of Law JD student Daniel Kiesman, who helped with the production of this episode. Thank you to our audio editor Liam Morrison of Bell Room Media Solutions. Thank you to the creators of our theme music, Charter: A Course! Constitutional law professor Howie Kislowicz and law professor Rob Currie gave us the licence to use their constitutional law shanty in exchange for a donation to the Calgary Food Bank. The song’s performers are Vanessa Carroll, Rob Currie, Howie Kislowicz, Avinash Kowshik, Anna Lund, Patricia Paradis, Elin Sigurdson, Lyle Skinner, and Dave Wright. You can listen to the entire shanty here: Charter a Course. Please consider contributing to your local food bank. Thank you to our dedicated listeners!

About the Series Charter: A Course is a podcast created by the David Asper Centre for Constitutional Rights (the Asper Centre) and hosted by the Asper Centre’s Executive Director Cheryl Milne. Charter: A Course focuses on leading Canadian constitutional cases and current constitutional law issues, highlighting strategic aspects of constitutional litigation and exploring what it’s like to practice in this area of law in our Practice Corner segment. Whether you are a law student, a lawyer, or just an interested person, we hope that you learn about an aspect of constitutional law and litigation that interests you in our podcast. Show Notes With the help of Professor François Larocque, in this episode we explore how the Charter interacts with and protects minority language rights. Sections 16 to 22 of the Charter provide that the settler languages of English and French are the official languages of Canada. They also explain how various public institutions are required to communicate with Canadians in the official language of their choice. Section 23 of the Charter provides that Canadian citizens and their children have the right to be educated in either English or French. In addition, sections 2(b) and 15 of the Charter may also protect language rights more broadly by guaranteeing freedom of expression and equality. In this episode’s Practice Corner, we speak with lawyer Aria Laskin, who provides an overview of how Indigenous minority languages interact with the Charter and Section 35 of our Constitution. Find a FULL transcript of this episode HERE. Case Links and other Resources In this episode, the following cases and laws were discussed: Société des Acadiens v. Association of Parents, [1986] 1 S.C.R. 549 Conseil Scolaire francophone de la Colombie-Britannique v. British Columbia, 2020 SCC 13, [2020] 1 S.C.R. 678 Mahe v. Alberta, [1990] 1 S.C.R. 342 Doucet-Boudreau v. Nova Scotia (Minister of Education), [2003] 3 S.C.R. 3, 2003 SCC 62 Arsenault-Cameron v. Prince Edward Island, [2000] 1 S.C.R. 3 Newfoundland (Treasury Board) v. N.A.P.E., [2004] 3 S.C.R. 381, 2004 SCC 66 Bill C-13: An Act to amend the Official Languages Act, to enact the Use of French in Federally Regulated Private Businesses Act and to make related amendments to other Acts Lalonde v. Health Restructuring (2001), 153 O.A.C. 1 (CA) (the “Montfort Hospital case”) Mazraani v. Industrial Alliance Insurance and Financial Services Inc., 2018 SCC 50, [2018] 3 S.C.R. 261 Indigenous Languages Act S.C. 2019, c. 23 The Nunavut Agreement Nunavut Tungavik, Inc., v. the Commissioner of Nunavut >> Read the public notice of this case here: https://www.tunngavik.com/news/nti-files-lawsuit-against-gn-for-violating-equality-rights-of-inuit-children-and-youth/ Eldridge v. British Columbia (Attorney General), [1997] 3 S.C.R. 624 About the Asper Centre The Asper Centre, a part of the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Law since 2008, is devoted to realizing constitutional rights through advocacy, research and education. The Centre aims to play a vital role in articulating Canada’s constitutional vision to the broader world. The cornerstone of the Centre is a legal clinic that brings together students, faculty and members of the bar to work on significant constitutional cases and advocacy initiatives. The Centre was established through a generous gift from U of T law alumnus David Asper (LLM ’07). Thank You’s Thank you to our wonderful guests on this episode, Professor Francois Larocque and Ara Laskin! Thank you to University of Toronto Faculty of Law JD student Emma Davies who helped with the production of this episode. Thank you to our audio editor Liam Morrison of Bell Room Media Solutions. Thank you to the creators of our podcast's theme music, Charter: A Course! Constitutional law professor Howie Kislowicz and law professor Rob Currie gave us the licence to use their constitutional law shanty in exchange for a donation to the

About the Series Charter: A Course is a podcast created by the David Asper Centre for Constitutional Rights (the Asper Centre) and hosted by the Asper Centre’s Executive Director Cheryl Milne. Charter: A Course focuses on Canadian constitutional law and litigation. In each episode, we highlight the accomplishments of U of T Law’s faculty and alumni involved in leading constitutional cases and issues. Each episode also includes a “Practice Corner,” where we talk about the ins and outs of what it means to be a constitutional litigator. Whether you are a law student, a lawyer, or just an interested person, we hope that you learn about an aspect of constitutional law and litigation that interests you in our podcast. Show Notes With the help of our distinguished guest, Professor Michael Pal, we discuss the history of the right to vote in Canada. Looking at the jurisprudence on how certain groups gained the right to vote over time, we consider how democracy has evolved in our country, and the role courts must play in protecting this fundamental freedom. In the episode’s Practice Corner, we speak with Diego Christiansen-Barker, Khadijat Dairo and Katie Yu, 3 of the youth litigants who are involved in a court challenge to help young people in Canada gain the right to vote. Find a Full transcript of this episode HERE. Case Links In this episode, the following cases and statutes were discussed: B.C. Freedom of Information and Privacy Association v. British Columbia (Attorney General), 2017 SCC 6 Fitzgerald v. Alta., 2004 ABCA 184 Frank v. Canada (Attorney General), 2019 SCC 1 Reference re Secession of Quebec, [1998] 2 SCR 217 Sauvé v. Canada (Chief Electoral Officer), 2002 SCC 68 Toronto (City) v. Ontario (Attorney General), 2021 SCC 34 Reference re Prov. Electoral Boundaries (Sask.), [1991] 2 SCR 158 Organizations: Justice for Children and Youth About the Asper Centre The Asper Centre, a part of the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Law since 2008, is devoted to realizing constitutional rights through advocacy, research and education. The Centre aims to play a vital role in articulating Canada’s constitutional vision to the broader world. The cornerstone of the Centre is a legal clinic that brings together students, faculty and members of the bar to work on significant constitutional cases and advocacy initiatives. The Centre was established through a generous gift from U of T law alumnus David Asper (LLM ’07). Thank You’s Charter: A Course is proudly sponsored by the University of Toronto’s affinity partner TD Insurance. We would like to thank our sponsor, and you can discover the benefits of affinity products at bit.ly/affinity-offers We would like to thank the creators of our theme music for Charter: A Course. Constitutional law professor Howie Kislowicz and law professor Rob Currie gave us the licence to use their constitutional law shanty in exchange for a donation to the Calgary Food Bank. The song’s performers are: Vanessa Carroll, Rob Currie, Howie Kislowicz, Avinash Kowshik, Anna Lund, Patricia Paradis, Elin Sigurdson, Lyle Skinner, and Dave Wright. You can listen to the entire shanty here: Charter a Course. Please consider contributing to your local food bank! Thank you to Kathryn Mullins and Marisa Benjamin, JD students at the University of Toronto Faculty of Law, for their contributions to the production of this episode. Thank you to our wonderful guests on this episode, Michael Pal, Diego Christiansen-Barker, Khadijat Dairo and Katie Yu! Thank you to our audio editor Liam Morrison of Bell Room Media Solutions.

With the help of our distinguished guests, Martha Jackman and Bruce Porter, we discuss whether socioeconomic rights are protected under the enumerated provisions of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. We hear about what socioeconomic rights entail – like the right to food, housing, and a living wage - and consider whether these rights confer positive obligations on the government. In the Practice Corner (at 39:56), Jackie Esmonde joins us to discuss her experience litigating cases about socioeconomic rights on behalf of clients and as an intervenor at the Supreme Court. We also learn about Jackie’s community-driven approach to practicing law and policy writing.

About the Series Charter: A Course is a podcast created by the David Asper Centre for Constitutional Rights (the Asper Centre) and hosted by the Asper Centre’s Executive Director Cheryl Milne. Charter: A Course focuses on Canadian constitutional law and litigation. In each episode, we highlight the accomplishments of U of T Law’s faculty and alumni involved in leading constitutional cases and issues. Each episode also includes a “Practice Corner,” where we talk about the ins and outs of what it means to be a constitutional litigator. Whether you are a law student, a lawyer, or just an interested person, we hope that you learn about an aspect of constitutional law and litigation that interests you in our podcast. Show Notes In 1982, disability was included as an enumerated ground of discrimination under Section 15 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Since then, disability rights advocates have pursued constitutional litigation on a range of issues, including the availability of sign language, interpretation and hospitals, funding for autism treatment programs, and inclusive education for students with disabilities to remain in classes with their peers without disabilities. However, challenges remain in litigating disability rights under the Charter. This podcast episode examines the successes and remaining challenges in having disability rights recognized and protected under the Charter. Our esteemed guests in this podcast are David Lepofsky and Anita Szigeti, two lawyers specialized in disability rights. Our guests will discuss, amongst other issues, how disability came to be an enumerated ground under section 15 of the Charter; some of the seminal Supreme Court of Canada cases that dealt with disability rights under the Charter; how individuals living with a mental disability either alone or in combination with a physical disability experience discrimination; how section 7 of the Charter interplays with respect to discrimination claims that normally fit within section 15 Charter claims; and, the future of disability rights under the Charter. In this episode’s “Practice Corner” starting at 1:07:16, we will be speaking with constitutional litigator Stephen Aylward, on his experiences as a constitutional litigator while living with a disability, and ways to remove existing barriers within the legal profession to make the practice of law more accessible. Find a FULL TRANSCRIPT of this episode HERE. Case & Statute Links In this episode, the following cases and statutes were discussed: Eldridge v. British Columbia (Attorney General), [1997] 3 SCR 624 R. v. Conway, [2010] 1 SCR 765 R. v. Swain, [1991] 1 SCR 933 Eaton v. Brant County Board of Education, [1997] 1 SCR 241 Ontario (Attorney General) v. G, 2020 SCC 38 Thompson v. Ontario (Attorney General), 2016 ONCA 676 P.S. v. Ontario, 2014 ONCA 900 (CanLII) Carter v. Canada (Attorney General), 2015 SCC 5 AG(BC) v Canadian Council of Disabilities, 2022 SCC 27 Moore v. British Columbia (Education), 2012 SCC 61 R. v. Sharma, [1993] 1 SCR 650 Christopher’s Law (Sex Offender Registry), 2000, S.O. 2000, c. 1. Not Criminally Responsible Reform Act, S.C. 2014, c. 6 Mental Health Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. M.7 Bill C-5 Additional Links: Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act Alliance (Twitter: @aodaalliance) Women in Canadian Criminal Defence (Twitter: @WICCD_Canada) Ontario Courts Accessibility Committee’s online Survey of Accessibility for People with Disabilities in Ministry Courts: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/OCACSurveyEN Lambda Legal (Twitter: @LAMDACANADA) Canadian Association of Lawyers with Disabilities Facebook Group David Lepofsky’s lectures on Advocating for Disability Rights David Lepofsky's Twitter: @DavidLepofsky Anita Szigeti’s Twitter: @pouchbaby Anita Szigeti’s 2020 book: A Guide to Mental Disorder Law in Canadian Criminal Justice (LexisNexis) Anita Szigeti’s 2023 book: Law and Mental Health in Canada Cases and Materials (Lex

About the Series Charter: A Course is a podcast created by the David Asper Centre for Constitutional Rights (the Asper Centre) and hosted by the Asper Centre’s Executive Director Cheryl Milne. Charter: A Course focuses on Canadian constitutional law and litigation. In each episode, we highlight the accomplishments of U of T Law’s faculty and alumni involved in leading constitutional cases and issues. Each episode also includes a “Practice Corner,” where we talk about the ins and outs of what it means to be a constitutional litigator. Whether you are a law student, a lawyer, or just an interested person, we hope that you learn about an aspect of constitutional law and litigation that interests you in our podcast. Show Notes This episode focuses on section 28 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, which states that notwithstanding anything in the Charter, the rights and freedoms referred to in it are guaranteed equally to male and female persons. With the help of our distinguished guest Professor Kerri Froc we trace the history of Section 28 and its questionable usage in jurisprudence, before discussing how a case currently making its way to the Quebec Court of Appeal may provide an opportunity for Section 28 to truly shine for the first time. In the Practice Corner, Professor Martha Jackman tells us about Feminist Law Reform 101, a free online course designed to provide the tools to teach and inspire a new generation of feminist legal advocates like the ones who brought Section 28 into being. Find a full transcript of this episode HERE.Case Links In this episode, the following cases were discussed: Bliss v Canada (AG) [1979] 1 SCR 183 Canada (AG) v Lavell, [1974] SCR 1349 Andrews v Law Society of British Columbia, [1989] 1 SCR 143 R v Hess; R v Nguyen, [1990] 2 SCR 906 Blainey v Ontario Hockey Association (1986) 54 OR (2d) 513 Newfoundland (Treasury Board) v. N.A.P.E., [2004] 3 SCR 381, 2004 SCC 66 Centrale des syndicats du Québec v. Quebec (Attorney General), 2018 SCC 18, [2018] 1 SCR 522 Hak c. Procureure générale du Québec, 2019 QCCS 2989 Kerri Froc’s new article: Froc, Kerri, A Law in Rupture: Section 28, Equal Rights, and the Constitutionality of Québec's Bill 21 Religious Symbols Ban (July 24, 2022). "The Surprising Constitution," edited by Howard Kislowicz, Richard Moon and Kerri Froc. https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=4171256NAWL Feminist Law Reform 101 Course: https://nawl.ca/feminist-law-reform-101/ About the Asper Centre The Asper Centre, a part of the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Law since 2008, is devoted to realizing constitutional rights through advocacy, research and education. The Centre aims to play a vital role in articulating Canada’s constitutional vision to the broader world. The cornerstone of the Centre is a legal clinic that brings together students, faculty and members of the bar to work on significant constitutional cases and advocacy initiatives. The Centre was established through a generous gift from U of T law alumnus David Asper (LLM ’07). Thank You’s Charter: A Course is proudly sponsored by the University of Toronto’s affinity partner TD Insurance. We would like to thank our sponsor, and you can discover the benefits of affinity products at bit.ly/affinity-offers. We would like to thank the creators of our theme music for Charter: A Course. Constitutional law professor Howie Kislowicz and law professor Rob Currie gave us the licence to use their constitutional law shanty in exchange for a donation to the Calgary Food Bank. The song’s performers are: Vanessa Carroll, Rob Currie, Howie Kislowicz, Avinash Kowshik, Anna Lund, Patricia Paradis, Elin Sigurdson, Lyle Skinner, and Dave Wright. You can listen to the entire shanty here: Charter a Course. Please consider contributing to your local food bank! Thank you to Kathryn Mullins, JD student at the University of Toronto Faculty of Law and Asper Centre Summer Research Assistant, fo

About the Series Charter: A Course is a podcast created by the David Asper Centre for Constitutional Rights (the Asper Centre) and hosted by the Asper Centre’s Executive Director Cheryl Milne. Charter: A Course focuses on Canadian constitutional law and litigation. In each episode, we highlight the accomplishments of U of T Law’s faculty and alumni involved in leading constitutional cases and issues. Each episode also includes a “Practice Corner,” where we talk about the ins and outs of what it means to be a constitutional litigator. Whether you are a law student, a lawyer, or just an interested person, we hope that you learn about an aspect of constitutional law and litigation that interests you in our podcast. Episode 5 Show Notes Section 7 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms guarantees that every person has the right to life, liberty, and security of the person, except in accordance with the principles of fundamental justice. This episode focuses on s. 7 of the Charter, climate change litigation and constitutional remedies in these cases. In this episode, we speak with lawyer and former Constitutional Litigator-in-Residence at the Asper Centre, Nader Hasan about the meaning and purpose of section 7 in the context of climate change and government action/inaction, and as it relates to protecting the environment for future generations. Nader is legal counsel for the applicants in the Mathur v Ontario climate change litigation (see case link below), which he discusses in this episode. In this episode’s “Practice Corner”(starting at 38:30), we speak with University of Toronto Faculty of Law Professor Kent Roach about constitutional remedies as a core aspect of charter litigation. Kent is the author of Constitutional Remedies in Canada (Carswell, 2013) and has recently published an article on judicial remedies in climate change litigation internationally. Find a full transcript of this episode HERE. Case Links In this episode, the following cases were discussed: Gosselin v. Québec (Attorney General), 2002 SCC 84 (CanLII) Mathur v. Ontario, 2020 ONSC 6918 La Rose v Her Majesty the Queen 2020 FC 1008 Urgenda Foundation v. State of the Netherlands, 2015 Tanudjaja v. Canada (Attorney General), 2014 ONCA 852 (CanLII) Doucet-Boudreau v. Nova Scotia (Minister of Education), 2003 SCC 62 (CanLII) About the Asper Centre The Asper Centre, a part of the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Law since 2008, is devoted to realizing constitutional rights through advocacy, research and education. The Centre aims to play a vital role in articulating Canada’s constitutional vision to the broader world. The cornerstone of the Centre is a legal clinic that brings together students, faculty and members of the bar to work on significant constitutional cases and advocacy initiatives. The Centre was established through a generous gift from U of T law alumnus David Asper (LLM ’07). Thank You’s Charter: A Course is proudly sponsored by the University of Toronto’s affinity partners: MBNA and TD Insurance. We would like to thank each of our sponsors, and you can discover the benefits of affinity products at bit.ly/affinity-offers. We would like to thank the creators of our theme music for Charter: A Course. Constitutional law professor Howie Kislowicz and law professor Rob Currie gave us the licence to use their constitutional law shanty in exchange for a donation to the Calgary Food Bank. The song’s performers are: Vanessa Carroll, Rob Currie, Howie Kislowicz, Avinash Kowshik, Anna Lund, Patricia Paradis, Elin Sigurdson, Lyle Skinner, and Dave Wright. You can listen to the entire shanty here: Charter a Course. Please consider contributing to your local food bank! Thank you to Szymon Rodomar and Flint Patterson, JD students at the U of T Faculty of Law, for their immense contributions to the production of this episode. Thank you to our wonderful guests on this episode, Nader Hasan and Professor Kent Roach! Thank you to our a

About the Series Charter: A Course is a podcast created by the David Asper Centre for Constitutional Rights (the Asper Centre) and hosted by the Asper Centre’s Executive Director Cheryl Milne. Charter: A Course focuses on Canadian constitutional law and litigation. In each episode, we highlight the accomplishments of U of T Law’s faculty and alumni involved in leading constitutional cases and issues. Each episode also includes a “Practice Corner,” where we talk about the ins and outs of what it means to be a constitutional litigator. Whether you are a law student, a lawyer, or just an interested person, we hope that you learn about an aspect of constitutional law and litigation that interests you in our podcast. Show Notes Section 11 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms provides a list of rights for persons charged with a crime. These include, but are not limited to, the right to be tried within a reasonable period of time, under section 11(b), the right to be presumed innocent until proven guilty under section 11d, and the right to the benefit of a trial by jury, where the maximum penalty for the offense is imprisonment for five years, or even more severe punishment, under section 11(f). In this episode we speak with Kent Roach, Professor of Law at the University of Toronto and lawyer Christa Big Canoe, Legal Director of Aboriginal Legal Services in Toronto, about jury fairness in Canada, the impact of the Supreme Court’s recent decision in R v Chouhan and the way in which the court's current understanding of jury selection informs the right to a jury that is representative of the community. The conversation also turns to equality rights, jury representation, and the experiences of indigenous people when it comes to juries. Lastly, in this episode’s “Practice Corner” we speak with lawyer Janani Shanmuganathan about some of the practicalities of jury selection from the perspective of a criminal defense lawyer. Find a full transcript of this episode HERE. Case and Reference Links In this episode, the following cases/laws were discussed: R v Chouhan, 2021 SCC 26 (Canlii) R v Kokopenance, 2015 SCC 25 (Canlii) Bill C-75 - An Act to amend the Criminal Code, the Youth Criminal Justice Act and other Acts and to make consequential amendments to other Acts R v Stanley, 2018 SKQB 27 (Canlii) About the Asper Centre The Asper Centre, a part of the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Law since 2008, is devoted to realizing constitutional rights through advocacy, research and education. The Centre aims to play a vital role in articulating Canada’s constitutional vision to the broader world. The cornerstone of the Centre is a legal clinic that brings together students, faculty and members of the bar to work on significant constitutional cases and advocacy initiatives. The Centre was established through a generous gift from U of T law alumnus David Asper (LLM ’07). Thank You’s Charter: A Course is proudly sponsored by the University of Toronto’s affinity partners: MBNA and TD Insurance. We would like to thank each of our sponsors, and you can discover the benefits of affinity products at bit.ly/affinity-offers. We would like to thank the creators of our theme music for Charter: A Course. Constitutional law professor Howie Kislowicz and law professor Rob Currie gave us the licence to use their constitutional law shanty in exchange for a donation to the Calgary Food Bank. The song’s performers are: Vanessa Carroll, Rob Currie, Howie Kislowicz, Avinash Kowshik, Anna Lund, Patricia Paradis, Elin Sigurdson, Lyle Skinner, and Dave Wright. You can listen to the entire shanty here: Charter a Course. Please consider contributing to your local food bank! Thank you to Szymon Rodomar and Flint Patterson, JD students at the U of T Faculty of Law, for their immense contributions to the production of this episode. Thank you to our wonderful guests on this episode, Kent Roach, Christa Big Canoe and Janani Shanmuganathan. Than

About the Series Charter: A Course is a podcast created by the David Asper Centre for Constitutional Rights (the Asper Centre) and hosted by the Asper Centre’s Executive Director Cheryl Milne. Charter: A Course focuses on Canadian constitutional law and litigation. In each episode, we highlight the accomplishments of U of T Law’s faculty and alumni involved in leading constitutional cases and issues. Each episode also includes a “Practice Corner,” where we talk about the ins and outs of what it means to be a constitutional litigator. Whether you are a law student, a lawyer, or just an interested person, we hope that you learn about an aspect of constitutional law and litigation that interests you in our podcast. Show Notes In this episode, we begin our exploration of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms with a conversation about section 1, which sets out that the rights in the Charter are subject to limits, or as the section says, “reasonable limits that are demonstrably justifiable in a free and democratic society.” We are privileged to speak with scholar and U of T alumnus Professor Jacob Weinrib. During our “Practice Corner,” we speak with constitutional litigator and U of T Law alumnus Padraic Ryan. Find a full transcript of this episode here: https://aspercentre.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Section-1-Episode-Transcripts.pdf Case Links The following SCC constitutional law decisions were discussed in this episode: R. v. Oakes, 1986 CanLII 46 (SCC), [1986] 1 SCR 103 Gillian Frank, et al. v. Attorney General of Canada (2016) Newfoundland (Treasury Board) v. N.A.P.E., 2004 SCC 66 (CanLII), [2004] 3 SCR 381 About the Asper Centre The Asper Centre, a part of the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Law since 2008, is devoted to realizing constitutional rights through advocacy, research and education. The Centre aims to play a vital role in articulating Canada’s constitutional vision to the broader world. The cornerstone of the Centre is a legal clinic that brings together students, faculty and members of the bar to work on significant constitutional cases and advocacy initiatives. The Centre was established through a generous gift from U of Tlaw alumnus David Asper (LLM ’07). Thank You’s Charter: A Course is proudly sponsored by the University of Toronto’s affinity partners: MBNA and TD Insurance. We would like to thank each of our sponsors, and you can discover the benefits of affinity products at affinity.utoronto.ca. We would like to thank the creators of our theme music for Charter: A Course. Constitutional law professor Howie Kislowicz and law professor Rob Currie gave us the licence to use their constitutional law shanty in exchange for a donation to the Calgary Food Bank. The song’s performers are: Vanessa Carroll, Rob Currie, Howie Kislowicz, Avinash Kowshik, Anna Lund, Patricia Paradis, Elin Sigurdson, Lyle Skinner, and Dave Wright. You can listen to the entire song here: Charter a Course. Please consider contributing to your local food bank! Thank you to Szymon Rodomar and Flint Patterson, JD students at the U of T Faculty of Law, for their immense contributions to the production of this episode. Thank you to our wonderful guests on this episode, Professor Jacob Weinrib and Padraic Ryan. Thank you to our audio editor Liam Morrison of Bell Room Media Solutions. Lastly, we are very grateful to you, our listeners, for taking the time to join us on this voyage as we charter a course into podcasting!