Blaikie et al. v. Attorney General of Quebec et al., (1981) 36 N.R. 120 (SCC)

• Jurisdiction: Federal Jurisdiction (Canada)
• Judge: Laskin, C.J.C., Martland, Ritchie, Dickson, Beetz, Estey and McIntyre, JJ.
• Citation: (1981), 36 N.R. 120 (SCC),[1981] 1 SCR 312,123 DLR (3d) 15,60 CCC (2d) 524,36 NR 120,1981 CanLII 14 (SCC)
• Court: Supreme Court (Canada)
• Date: 06 April 1981

Blaikie v. Que. (A.G.) (1981), 36 N.R. 120 (SCC)

MLB headnote and full text

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

Indexed As: Blaikie et al. v. Attorney General of Quebec et al.

Supreme Court of Canada

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

April 6, 1981.

Summary:

This case arose out of an application for a rehearing pursuant to Rule 61 of the Supreme Court of Canada arising out of a judgment of the Supreme Court of Canada dated December 13, 1979, Blaikie v. Attorney General of Quebec et al., 30 N.R. 225. The application for rehearing was to determine the scope of s. 133 of the British North America Act with respect to delegated legislation (see paragraphs 7 and 74 for the question posed and paragraphs 66 and 133 for the answer given).

Constitutional Law - Topic 7750

Language rights - Effect of s. 133 of the British North America Act - The Supreme Court of Canada held that the language guarantees of s. 133 extend to all delegated legislation enacted by the Government of Quebec or its agencies but does not extend to "rules or directives of internal management" and does not extend to by-laws of municipalities or school bodies - The court stated that s. 133 applies to rules of practice enacted by the courts and quasi-judicial tribunals (see paragraphs 66 and ]33).

Constitutional Law - Topic 17

General - Position of Lieutenant Governor - The Supreme Court of Canada discussed the position of the Lieutenant Governor and some of the powers of the office (see paragraphs 14, 15, 81 and 82).

Constitutional Law - Topic 7706

Language rights - In the courts - The Supreme Court of Canada referred to the fundamental right of Quebec litigants to choose either French or English (see paragraphs 62 and 129).

Constitutional Law - Topic 19

General - Position of the elected government - The Supreme Court of Canada referred to the constitutional position of the elected government (see paragraphs 16, 17, 83 and 84).

Cases Noticed:

Liquidators of the Maritime Bank of Canada v. Receiver General of New Brunswick, [1892] A.C. 437, refd to. [paras. 14 and 81].

Trustees of the Roman Catholic Separate Schools for the City of Ottawa v. Mackell, [1917] A.C. 62, refd to. [paras. 31 and 98].

Attorney General of Ontario v. Attorney General of Canada, [1896] A.C. 348, refd to. [paras. 38 and 105].

North Coast Air Services Ltd. v. Canadian Transport Commission, [1968] S.C.R. 940, refd to. [paras. 52 and 119].

Wilson v. Esquimalt and Nanaimo Ry. Co., [1922] 1 A.C. 202, refd to. [paras. 53 and 120].

R. v. Talon (1945), 5 R. du B. 201, refd to. [paras. 56 and 123].

Hamel v. Joseph, 1847-48, 3 Revue de Legislation et de Jurisprudence, 400, refd to. [paras. 56 and 123].

Statutes Noticed:

British North America Act 1867, sect. 133 [paras. 1 and 68].

Charter of the French Language, S.Q. 1977, c. 5, sect. 7, sect. 9, sect. 10 [paras. 2 and 69], sect. 98 [paras. 4 and 71].

Municipal Code of the Province of Quebec, S.Q. 1870 [paras. 25 and 92].

Cities and Towns Act, R.S.Q. 1977, c. C-19, sect. 335, sect. 345, sect. 353, sect. 362 [paras. 26 and 93].

Quebec Code of Civil Procedure [paras. 60 and 127].

Authors and Works Noticed:

Pepin, Gilles, Le pouvoir reglementair et la Charte de la langue francaise (1978), 13 Revue Juridique Themis, No. 1, p. 107 [paras. 11 and 78].

Sheppard, Claude-Armand, The Law of Languages in Canada, 1971, 10th Study of the Royal Commission on Bilingualism and Biculturalism [paras. 23 and 90].

Marx, Herbert, Language Rights in the Canadian Constitution, 1967, 2 Revue juridique Themis, 239 [paras. 55 and 122].

Bruneau, A.A., J.S.C. De la limite des pouvoirs des juges et des tribunaux, 1924, 2 Revue du Droit 289 [paras. 58 and 125].

Counsel:

Henri Brun, Louis Crete and Odette Laverdiere, for the appellant;

A. Kerr Twaddle, Q.C., for the intervenant, the Attorney General of Manitoba;

A. Brossard, Q.C., for the respondents, Peter M. Blaikie et al.;

David Wood, for the respondent, Henri Wilfrid Laurier;

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

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

This rehearing was heard by LASKIN, C.J.C., MARTLAND, RITCHIE, DICKSON, BEETZ, ESTEY and McINTYRE, JJ., of the Supreme Court of Canada at Ottawa, Ontario on November 26 and 27, 1980.

The judgment of the Supreme Court of Canada was delivered on April 6, 1981 - see paragraphs 1 to 67 plus 3 footnotes (English language judgment) and paragraphs 68 to 134 plus 3 footnotes (French language judgment).