Blaikie v. Quebec (Attorney General) et al., (1979) 30 N.R. 225 (SCC)

JudgeLaskin, C.J.C., Martland, Ritchie, Pigeon, Dickson, Beetz, Estey, Pratte and McIntyre, JJ.
CourtSupreme Court (Canada)
Case DateDecember 13, 1979
JurisdictionCanada (Federal)
Citations(1979), 30 N.R. 225 (SCC);1979 CanLII 21 (SCC);49 CCC (2d) 359;[1979] 2 SCR 1016;101 DLR (3d) 394;30 NR 225

Blaikie v. Que. (A.G.) (1979), 30 N.R. 225 (SCC)

MLB headnote and full text

Blaikie v. Attorney General of Quebec et al.; Laurier v. Attorney General of Quebec et al.

Indexed As: Blaikie v. Quebec (Attorney General) et al.

Supreme Court of Canada

Laskin, C.J.C., Martland, Ritchie, Pigeon, Dickson, Beetz, Estey, Pratte and McIntyre, JJ.

December 13, 1979.

Summary:

This case arose out of an application for a declaration that sections 7 to 13 of the Quebec Charter of The French Language was ultra vires the Legislature of Quebec. The Quebec Superior Court granted the application and declared that the impugned legislation was invalid. The Attorney General of Quebec appealed to the Quebec Court of Appeal.

The Quebec Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal and affirmed the Quebec Superior Court. The Attorney General of Quebec appealed to the Supreme Court of Canada.

The Supreme Court of Canada dismissed the appeal and affirmed the judgment of the Quebec Court of Appeal.

Constitutional Law - Topic 7750

Language rights - British North America Act, s. 133 - Provincial legislation - Abridgment of language rights - The Province of Quebec enacted legislation which declared that French is the language of the legislature and of the courts in Quebec - The Supreme Court of Canada held that the Quebec legislation was invalid because the legislation conflicted with the language rights granted by s. 133 of the British North America Act (s. 133 declared that either French or English could be used in the Quebec legislature or the Quebec courts).

Constitutional Law - Topic 1005

Interpretation of British North America Act - Principle of flexibility - The Supreme Court of Canada stated that a flexible interpretation must be given to the British North America Act when required by changing circumstances (see paragraphs 22 and 47).

Constitutional Law - Topic 7706

Language rights - In the courts - The Supreme Court of Canada stated that for purposes of s. 133 of the British North America Act, the meaning of the word "courts" should be extended to any tribunals exercising a judicial power (see paragraphs 20 and 45).

Constitutional Law - Topic 6774

Enumeration in s. 92 of the British North America Act - Amendment of provincial constitution - The Supreme Court of Canada held that language rights granted by s. 133 did not come within the ambit of the expression "amendment . . . of the Constitution of the Province" in s. 92(1) of the British North America Act (see paragraphs 9 to 17 and 34 to 42).

Words and Phrases

Courts - The Supreme Court of Canada discussed the meaning of the word "courts" as found in s. 96 of the British North America Act 1867 (see paragraphs 20 and 45).

Words and Phrases

Acts - The Supreme Court of Canada discussed the meaning of the word "acts" as found in s. 133 of the British North America Act 1867 (see paragraphs 18 and 43).

Cases Noticed:

Fielding v. Thomas, [1896] A.C. 600, refd to. [paras. 12 and 37].

Jones v. Attorney General of New Brunswick, 7 N.B.R.(2d) 526; [1975] 2 S.C.R. 182, refd to. [paras. 15 and 40].

Edwards v. Attorney General of Canada, [1930] A.C. 124, refd to. [paras. 21 and 46].

Attorney General of Ontario v. Attorney General of Canada, [1947] A.C. 124, refd to. [paras. 22 and 47].

Statutes Noticed:

Charter of the French Language, S.Q. 1977, c. 5, sect. 7, sect. 8, sect. 9, sect. 10, sect. 11, sect. 12, sect. 13 [paras. 4 and 29].

British North America Act 1867, sect. 92(1), sect. 133 [paras. 5 and 30].

Counsel:

K. Samson, Henri Brun and Louis Crete, for the appellant;

A. Kerr Twaddle, Q.C., and Eleanor R. Dawson, for the intervenant, the Attorney General of Manitoba;

D.J. Johnston, R.S. Litvack and A. Brossard, Q.C., for the respondents, Peter M. Blaikie et al.;

David Wood and William Aaron, for the respondent, Henri Wilfrid Laurier;

Raynold Langlois, James Mabbutt and Andre Asselin, Q.C., for the Attorney General of Canada;

Alan D. Reid, for the Attorney General of New Brunswick;

Alain J.J. Hogue, M.B. Nepon and C.W. Sharp, for Georges Forest.

This case was heard by Laskin, C.J.C., Martland, Ritchie, Pigeon, Dickson, Beetz, Estey, Pratte and McIntyre, JJ., at Ottawa, Ontario on June 11 and 12, 1979.

The judgment of the Court was delivered on December 13, 1979 - see paragraphs 1 to 25 (English language judgment) and paragraphs 26 to 50 (French language judgment).

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    ...Confédération des syndicats nationaux, 2011 QCCA 1247; Michaud v. Bissonnette, 2006 QCCA 775; Attorney General of Quebec v. Blaikie, [1979] 2 S.C.R. 1016. By Côté and Brown JJ. (dissenting) Dunsmuir v. New Brunswick, 2008 SCC 9, [2008] 1 S.C.R. 190; Toronto (City) v. C.U.P.E., Local 79, 200......
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    • Nova Scotia Court of Appeal of Nova Scotia (Canada)
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    ...Act, Re, [1975] 2 S.C.R. 182; 1 N.R. 582; 7 N.B.R.(2d) 526, refd to. [para. 36]. Blaikie v. Quebec (Attorney General) et al., [1979] 2 S.C.R. 1016; 30 N.R. 225, refd to. [para. 36]. Société des Acadien du Nouveau-Brunswick Inc. and Association de conseillers scolaires francophones du Nouvea......
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    ...[para. 44]. Jones v. New Brunswick (Attorney General) - see Official Languages Act, Re. Blaikie v. Quebec (Attorney General) et al., [1979] 2 S.C.R. 1016; 30 N.R. 225, consd. [para. Blaikie et al. v. Quebec (Attorney General) et al., [1981] 1 S.C.R. 312; 36 N.R. 120, consd. [para. 44]. Mani......
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    • October 5, 2018
    ...Confédération des syndicats nationaux, 2011 QCCA 1247; Michaud v. Bissonnette, 2006 QCCA 775; Attorney General of Quebec v. Blaikie, [1979] 2 S.C.R. 1016. By Côté and Brown JJ. (dissenting) Dunsmuir v. New Brunswick, 2008 SCC 9, [2008] 1 S.C.R. 190; Toronto (City) v. C.U.P.E., Local 79, 200......
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    ...du), 2001 CanLII 20663, [2001] 134 BRITISH COLUMBIA (ATTORNEY GENERAL) [2017] 1 S.C.R. 93; Att. Gen. of Quebec v. Blaikie et al., [1979] 2 S.C.R. 1016, (1979), 101 D.L.R. (3d) Potter c. Québec (Procureur général du), 2001 CanLII 20663, [2001] R.J.Q. 2823 (C.A.); British Columbia v. Imperial......
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    • September 29, 1994
    ...Robinson; R. v. Dolejs (1989), 100 A.R. 26; 73 C.R.(3d) 81 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 97]. Blaikie v. Quebec (Attorney General) et al., [1979] 2 S.C.R. 1016; 30 N.R. 225, refd to. [para. 98]. Residential Tenancies Act of Ontario, Re, [1981] 1 S.C.R. 714; 37 N.R. 158; 123 D.L.R.(3d) 554, refd t......
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    • January 27, 2004
    ...Act, Re, [1975] 2 S.C.R. 182; 1 N.R. 582; 7 N.B.R.(2d) 526, refd to. [para. 36]. Blaikie v. Quebec (Attorney General) et al., [1979] 2 S.C.R. 1016; 30 N.R. 225, refd to. [para. 36]. Société des Acadien du Nouveau-Brunswick Inc. and Association de conseillers scolaires francophones du Nouvea......
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    • June 22, 2017
    ...(Attorney General) v A, 2013 SCC 5 ..........................................78, 373−74 Quebec (Attorney General) v Blaikie (No 1), [1979] 2 SCR 1016, 101 DLR (3d) 394 ..........................................................................................414 Quebec (Attorney General) v B......
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    ...General of Canada v Lavell, [1974] SCR 1349 ...................................228 Attorney General of Quebec v Blaikie (No 1), [1979] 2 SCR 1016 .....19, 253, 259 Attorney General of Quebec v Blaikie (No 2), [1981] 1 SCR 312 ...............19, 259 Attorney General v National Assembly for W......
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    ...1 SCR 464............................................................ 382, 390, 403, 422–23 Quebec (Attorney General) v Blaikie (No 1), [1979] 2 SCR 1016, 101 DLR (3d) 394.......................................................................................... Table of Cases 561 Quebec (At......
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