Commission scolaire régionale de Chambly v. Syndicat de l'enseignement de Champlain et autres, (1994) 169 N.R. 281 (SCC)

JudgeIacobucci and Major, JJ.
CourtSupreme Court (Canada)
Case DateJune 23, 1994
JurisdictionCanada (Federal)
Citations(1994), 169 N.R. 281 (SCC);48 ACWS (3d) 1214;[1997] SCJ No 57 (QL);AZ-94111066;JE 94-1093;[1994] 2 SCR 525;DTE 94T-767;1994 CanLII 102 (SCC);115 DLR (4th) 609;169 NR 281;21 Admin LR (2d) 169;[1994] SCJ No 57 (QL);22 CHRR 1;4 CCEL (2d) 165;62 QAC 241

Chambly School Bd. v. Teachers Union (1994), 169 N.R. 281 (SCC)

MLB headnote and full text

[French language version follows English language version]

[La version française vient à la suite de la version anglaise]

....................

Syndicat de l'enseignement de Champlain, Joseph Kadoch, Louise Elbraz et Jacob Lahmi (appelants) v. Commission scolaire régionale de Chambly (intimée) et Michel Bergevin, Jacqueline Hehlen et Yvan Turbide (mis en cause) et Commission des droits de la personne du Québec (intervenante)

(23188)

Indexed As: Commission scolaire régionale de Chambly v. Syndicat de l'enseignement de Champlain et autres

Supreme Court of Canada

Lamer, C.J.C., La Forest, L'Heureux-Dubé,

Sopinka, Gonthier, Cory, McLachlin,

Iacobucci and Major, JJ.

June 23, 1994.

Summary:

Three Jewish teachers requested a paid day off to observe Yom Kippur, a Jewish holy day. The employer school commission gave them the day off but deducted from their lump sum salary an amount equivalent to a day's wages. The teachers' union filed a grievance to reclaim the lost salary. An arbitration board allowed the grievance. The school commission moved for evocation to quash the arbitration board's decision. The Quebec Superior Court (Steinberg, J.) dis­missed the motion. The school commission appealed.

The Quebec Court of Appeal, Rousseau-Houle, J.A., dissenting, in a judgment re­ported 48 Q.A.C. 34, allowed the appeal. The teachers' union appealed.

The Supreme Court of Canada allowed the appeal.

Civil Rights - Topic 983

Discrimination - Employment - What constitutes discrimination - A work calen­dar in a collective agreement did not oblige Christian teachers to take a day off to observe Christian holy days - The agreement however, provided paid special leave for cases of "force majeure" ("irresistible force") and for other "valid" reasons and incorporated the provisions of Quebec's Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms - Three Jewish teachers sought a paid day's leave to observe Yom Kip­pur, a Jewish holy day - The Supreme Court of Canada affirmed an arbitration board's decision that allowed the request after a grievance - The court held: 1) the work calendar constituted adverse effect dis­crimination; 2) reasonable accommoda­tion had to be made for the Jewish teachers and was possible under the col­lective agree­ment - See paragraphs 1 to 46.

Droits et libertés - Cote 983

Discrimination - Emploi - En quoi consiste la discrimination - [Voir Civil Rights - Topic 983 ].

Civil Rights - Topic 992

Discrimination - Employment - Adverse effect or indirect discrimination - A work calendar in a collective agreement did not oblige Christian teachers to take a day off to observe Christian holy days - The agreement however, provided paid special leave for cases of "force majeure" ("irresistible force") and for other "valid" reasons and incorporated the provisions of Quebec's Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms - Three Jewish teachers sought a paid day's leave to observe Yom Kippur, a Jewish holy day - The Supreme Court of Canada affirmed an arbitration board's decision that allowed the request after a grievance - The court held: 1) the work calendar constituted adverse effect dis­crimination; 2) reasonable accommodation had to be made for the Jewish teachers and was possible under the collective agree­ment - See paragraphs 1 to 46.

Droits et libertés - Cote 992

Discrimination - Emploi - Discrimination à effet adverse ou indirecte - [Voir Civil Rights - Topic 992 ].

Civil Rights - Topic 992.1

Discrimination - Employment - Adverse effect discrimination, duty of employer or union to accommodate employee - A work calendar in a collective agreement did not oblige Christian teachers to take a day off to observe Christian holy days - The agreement however, provided paid special leave for cases of "force majeure" ("irresistible force") and for other "valid" reasons and incorporated the provisions of Quebec's Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms - Three Jewish teachers sought a paid day's leave to observe Yom Kippur, a Jewish holy day - The Supreme Court of Canada affirmed an arbitration board's decision that allowed the request after a grievance - The court held: 1) the work calendar constituted adverse effect dis­crimination; 2) reasonable accommodation had to be made for the Jewish teachers and was possible under the collective agree­ment - See paragraphs 1 to 46.

Droits et libertés - Cote 992.1

Discrimination - Emploi - Discrimination à effet adverse, obligation de l'employeur ou du syndicat d'accomoder l'employé - [Voir Civil Rights - Topic 992.1 ].

Civil Rights - Topic 1049

Discrimination - Religion - Labour stan­dards - A work calendar in a collective agreement did not oblige Christian teachers to take a day off to observe Christian holy days - The agreement however, provided paid special leave for cases of "force majeure" ("irresistible force") and for other "valid" reasons and incorporated the provi­sions of Quebec's Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms - Three Jewish teachers sought a paid day's leave to observe Yom Kippur, a Jewish holy day - The Supreme Court of Canada affirmed an arbitration board's decision that allowed the request after a grievance - The court held: 1) the work calendar constituted adverse effect discrimination; 2) reasonable accommodation had to be made for the Jewish teachers and was possible under the collective agreement - See paragraphs 1 to 46.

Droits et libertés - Cote 1049

Discrimination - Religion - Normes du travail - [Voir Civil Rights - Topic 1049 ].

Labour Law - Topic 7114

Industrial relations - Collective agreement, enforcement - Arbitration - Judicial review - Manifestly unreasonable decision - A work calendar in a collective agree­ment did not oblige Christian teachers to take a day off to observe Christian holy days - The agreement however, provided paid special leave for cases of "force majeure" ("irresistible force") and for other "valid" reasons and incorporated the provi­sions of Quebec's Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms - Three Jewish teachers sought a paid day's leave to observe Yom Kippur, a Jewish holy day - This was denied - The Jewish teachers filed a grievance, alleging discrimination - An arbitration board allowed the grievance - The Supreme Court of Canada stated that the arbitration board's decision was far from unreasonable and was accordingly beyond the scope of judicial intervention - See paragraphs 47 to 54.

Droit du travail - Cote 7114

Relations industrielles - Convention col­lective, application - Arbitrage - Contrôle judiciaire - Décision manifestement dérai­sonnable - [Voir Labour Law - Topic 7114 ].

Cases Noticed:

Human Rights Commission (Ont.) and O'Malley v. Simpsons-Sears, [1985] 2 S.C.R. 536; 64 N.R. 161; 12 O.A.C. 241; 23 D.L.R.(4th) 321; 9 C.C.E.L. 185; 17 Admin. L.R. 89; 86 C.L.L.C. 17,002, refd to. [para. 6].

Canada (Attorney General) v. Public Ser­vice Alliance of Canada, [1993] 1 S.C.R. 941; 150 N.R. 161, refd to. [para. 11].

Canadian Union of Public Employees, Local 963 v. New Brunswick Liquor Corp., [1979] 2 S.C.R. 227; 26 N.R. 341; 25 N.B.R.(2d) 237; 51 A.P.R. 237; 97 D.L.R.(3d) 417; 79 C.L.L.C. 14,209, refd to. [para. 11].

Syndicat national des employés de la com­mission scolaire régionale de l'Outaouais (CSN) v. Union des employés de service, local 298 (FTQ), [1988] 2 S.C.R. 1048; 95 N.R. 161; 24 Q.A.C. 244, refd to. [para. 11].

Union des employés de service, local 298 v. Bibeault - see Syndicat national des employés de la commission scolaire régionale de l'Outaouais (CSN) v. Union des employés de service, local 298 (FTQ).

Bibeault - see Syndicat national des employés de la commission scolaire régionale de l'Outaouais (CSN) v. Union des employés de service, local 298 (FTQ).

Canadian Broadcasting Corp. v. Syndicat des employés de production du Québec et de l'Acadie, [1984] 2 S.C.R. 412; 55 N.R. 321; 14 D.L.R.(4th) 457, refd to. [para. 11].

Syndicat des employés de production de Québec et de l'Acadie v. Canada Labour Relations Board - see Canadian Broad­casting Corp. v. Syndicat des employés de production du Québec et de l'Acadie.

Forget v. Québec (Procureur général) and Office de la langue française, [1988] 2 S.C.R. 90; 87 N.R. 37; 17 Q.A.C. 241, refd to. [para. 13].

Chaussure Brown's Inc. et al. v. Québec (Procureur général), [1988] 2 S.C.R. 712; 90 N.R. 84; 19 Q.A.C. 69, refd to. [para. 13].

Ford v. Quebec (Attorney General) - see Chaussure Brown's Inc. et al. v. Québec (Procureur général).

Singer (Allan) Ltd. v. Québec (Procureur général) et al., [1988] 2 S.C.R. 790; 90 N.R. 48; 19 Q.A.C. 33, refd to. [para. 13].

Devine v. Quebec (Attorney General) - see Singer (Allan) Ltd. v. Québec (Procureur général) et al.

Brossard (Town) v. Commission des droits de la personne du Québec and Laurin, [1988] 2 S.C.R. 279; 88 N.R. 321; 18 Q.A.C. 164, refd to. [para. 13].

Central Alberta Dairy Pool v. Human Rights Commission (Alta.), [1990] 2 S.C.R. 489; 113 N.R. 161; 111 A.R. 241, refd to. [para. 15].

Renaud v. Board of Education of Central Okanagan No. 23 and Canadian Union of Public Employees, Local 523, [1992] 2 S.C.R. 970; 141 N.R. 185; 13 B.C.A.C. 245; 24 W.A.C. 245, refd to. [para. 15].

Andrews v. Law Society of British Columbia, [1989] 1 S.C.R. 143; 91 N.R. 255; [1989] 2 W.W.R. 289; 56 D.L.R.(4th) 1; 34 B.C.L.R.(2d) 273; 36 C.R.R. 193; 25 C.C.E.L. 255, refd to. [para. 15].

Canadian Pacific Air Lines Ltd. et al. v. Canadian Air Line Pilots Association et al., [1993] 3 S.C.R. 724; 160 N.R. 321, refd to. [para. 47].

Domtar Inc. v. Commission d'appel en matière de lésions professionnelles et autres, [1993] 2 S.C.R. 756; 154 N.R. 104; 55 Q.A.C. 241, refd to. [para. 47].

United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America, Local 579 v. Bradco Construction Ltd., [1993] 2 S.C.R. 316; 153 N.R. 81; 106 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 140; 334 A.P.R. 140, refd to. [para. 47].

Dayco (Canada) Ltd. v. National Automo­bile, Aerospace and Agricultural Imple­ment Workers Union of Canada (CAW - Canada), [1993] 2 S.C.R. 230; 152 N.R. 1; 63 O.A.C. 1, refd to. [para. 47].

Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières v. Syndicat des employés professionnels de l'Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, [1993] 1 S.C.R. 471; 148 N.R. 209; 53 Q.A.C. 171, refd to. [para. 47].

Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières v. Larocque - see Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières v. Syndicat des employés professionnels de l'Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières.

Canada (Attorney General) v. Mossop, [1993] 1 S.C.R. 554; 149 N.R. 1, refd to. [para. 47].

Canada (Procureur général) v. Alliance de la Fonction publique du Canada, [1991] 1 S.C.R. 614; 123 N.R. 161, refd to. [para. 47].

Public Service Alliance of Canada v. Canada (Attorney General) and Econo­sult Inc. - see Canada (Procureur géné­ral) v. Alliance de la Fonction publique du Canada.

National Corn Growers' Association et al. v. Canadian Import Tribunal, [1990] 2 S.C.R. 1324; 114 N.R. 81; 74 D.L.R.(4th) 449, refd to. [para. 47].

Paccar of Canada Ltd. v. Canadian Asso­ciation of Industrial, Mechanical and Allied Workers' Local 14, [1989] 2 S.C.R. 983; 102 N.R. 1; 62 D.L.R.(4th) 437; 89 C.L.L.C. 14,050; [1989] 6 W.W.R. 673; 40 Admin. L.R. 181, refd to. [para. 47].

Statutes Noticed:

Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, 1982, generally [para. 15].

Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms, R.S.Q. 1977, c. C-12, sect. 3, sect. 9.1, sect. 10, sect. 16 [para. 10]; sect. 20 [para. 50].

Labour Code, R.S.Q. 1977, c. C-27, sect. 100, sect. 100.12(a), sect. 101, sect. 139, sect. 139.1 [para. 10].

Authors and Works Noticed:

Proulx, Daniel, La norme québécoise d'égalité dérape en Cour suprême: com­mentaire des arrêts Forget, Devine et Ford (1990), 24 R.J.T. 365, pp. 383 to 385 [para. 16].

Counsel:

Georges Marceau and Michel Boyer, for the appellants;

Pierre Bégin and Christian Brunelle, for the respondent;

Béatrice Vizkelety, for the intervener.

Solicitors of Record:

Melançon, Marceau, Grenier & Sciortino, Montreal, Quebec and Lapierre, St-Denis & Associés, Montreal, Quebec, for the appellants;

Pothier Bégin, Ste-Foy, Quebec, for the respondent;

Béatrice Vizkelety, Montreal, Quebec, for the intervener.

This appeal was heard on February 1, 1994, by Lamer, C.J.C., and La Forest, L'Heureux-Dubé, Sopinka, Gonthier, Cory, McLachlin, Iacobucci and Major, JJ., of the Supreme Court of Canada.

The judgment of the Supreme Court was delivered in both official languages on June 23, 1994, and the following opinions were filed:

Cory, J. (Lamer, C.J.C., La Forest, Sopinka, McLachlin, Iacobucci and Major, JJ., concurring) - see paragraphs 1 to 46;

L'Heureux-Dubé, J. (Gonthier, J., concur­ring) - see paragraphs 47 to 54.

To continue reading

Request your trial
64 practice notes
  • R. v. N.S. et al., (2012) 297 O.A.C. 200 (SCC)
    • Canada
    • Canada (Federal) Supreme Court (Canada)
    • 20 December 2012
    ...; 12 O.A.C. 241 , refd to. [para. 54]. Commission scolaire régionale de Chambly v. Syndicat de l'enseignement de Champlain et autres, [1994] 2 S.C.R. 525; 169 N.R. 281 ; 62 Q.A.C. 241 , refd to. [para. Renaud v. Board of Education of Central Okanagan No. 23 and Canadian Union of Public E......
  • British Columbia (Minister of Education) v. Moore et al., 2010 BCCA 478
    • Canada
    • British Columbia Court of Appeal (British Columbia)
    • 29 October 2010
    ...l'enseignement de Champlain et autres. Commission scolaire régionale de Chambly v. Syndicat de l'enseignement de Champlain et autres, [1994] 2 S.C.R. 525; 169 N.R. 281 ; 62 Q.A.C. 241 ; 115 D.L.R.(4th) 609 , refd to. [para. 145]. Irwin Toy Ltd. v. Québec (Procureur général), [1989] 1 S.......
  • Ward v. Quebec (Commission des droits de la personne et des droits de la jeunesse),
    • Canada
    • Supreme Court (Canada)
    • 29 October 2021
    ...3 ; Eldridge v. British Columbia (Attorney General), [1997] 3 S.C.R. 624 ; Commission scolaire régionale de Chambly v. Bergevin, [1994] 2 S.C.R. 525; Andrews v. Law Society of British Columbia, [1989] 1 S.C.R. 143 ; Dennis v. United States, 339 U.S. 162 (1950); Withler v. Canada (A......
  • Human Rights Commission (N.B.) v. New Brunswick (Minister of Education) et al., 2005 NBQB 90
    • Canada
    • New Brunswick Court of Queen's Bench of New Brunswick (Canada)
    • 6 January 2005
    ...; 209 N.R. 20 , refd to. [para. 21]. Commission scolaire régionale de Chambly v. Syndicat de l'enseignement de Champlain et autres, [1994] 2 S.C.R. 525; 169 N.R. 281 , refd to. [para. Ewtushik v. Newfoundland (Minister of Health) et al. (1998) , 167 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 130 ; 513 A.P.R......
  • Request a trial to view additional results
52 cases
  • R. v. N.S. et al., (2012) 297 O.A.C. 200 (SCC)
    • Canada
    • Canada (Federal) Supreme Court (Canada)
    • 20 December 2012
    ...; 12 O.A.C. 241 , refd to. [para. 54]. Commission scolaire régionale de Chambly v. Syndicat de l'enseignement de Champlain et autres, [1994] 2 S.C.R. 525; 169 N.R. 281 ; 62 Q.A.C. 241 , refd to. [para. Renaud v. Board of Education of Central Okanagan No. 23 and Canadian Union of Public E......
  • British Columbia (Minister of Education) v. Moore et al., 2010 BCCA 478
    • Canada
    • British Columbia Court of Appeal (British Columbia)
    • 29 October 2010
    ...l'enseignement de Champlain et autres. Commission scolaire régionale de Chambly v. Syndicat de l'enseignement de Champlain et autres, [1994] 2 S.C.R. 525; 169 N.R. 281 ; 62 Q.A.C. 241 ; 115 D.L.R.(4th) 609 , refd to. [para. 145]. Irwin Toy Ltd. v. Québec (Procureur général), [1989] 1 S.......
  • Human Rights Commission (N.B.) v. New Brunswick (Minister of Education) et al., 2005 NBQB 90
    • Canada
    • New Brunswick Court of Queen's Bench of New Brunswick (Canada)
    • 6 January 2005
    ...; 209 N.R. 20 , refd to. [para. 21]. Commission scolaire régionale de Chambly v. Syndicat de l'enseignement de Champlain et autres, [1994] 2 S.C.R. 525; 169 N.R. 281 , refd to. [para. Ewtushik v. Newfoundland (Minister of Health) et al. (1998) , 167 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 130 ; 513 A.P.R......
  • Adler et al. v. Ontario et al., (1996) 95 O.A.C. 1 (SCC)
    • Canada
    • Canada (Federal) Supreme Court (Canada)
    • 21 November 1996
    ...Toronto - see Sheena B., Re. Commission scolaire régionale de Chambly v. Syndicat de l'enseignement de Champlain et autres, [1994] 2 S.C.R. 525; 169 N.R. 281 ; 62 Q.A.C. 241 , refd to. [para. 106]. Commission scolaire régionale de Chambly v. Bergevin - see Commission scolaire régionale de......
  • Request a trial to view additional results
1 firm's commentaries
10 books & journal articles
  • Table of Cases
    • Canada
    • Irwin Books Quasi-constitutional Laws of Canada
    • 25 June 2018
    ...39 Commission scolaire régionale de Chambly v Bergevin Syndicat de l’enseignement de Champlain, Joseph Kadoch, [1994] 2 SCR 525 ..............57 Cooper v Canada (Human Rights Commission), [1996] 3 SCR 854 .................12, 101, 123, 236 Council of Canadians with Disabilities v VIA Rail......
  • Table of Cases
    • Canada
    • Irwin Books Individual Employment Law. Second Edition
    • 16 June 2008
    ...190 Commission scolaire régionale de Chambly v. Bergevin, [1994] 2 S.C.R. 525, 115 D.L.R. (4th) 609 , 4 C.C.E.L. (2d) 165 , 94 C.L.L.C. ¶17,023 ..................................................................................... 232 Community Credit Union Ltd. v. Ast (2007), 413 A.R. 24......
  • Table of cases
    • Canada
    • Irwin Books Religious Institutions and The Law in Canada. Fourth Edition
    • 20 June 2017
    ... (1903), 5 O.L.R. 459 (C.A.) ............................................. 279 Chambly Regional Board of Education v. Bergevin (1994), 115 D.L.R. (4th) 609 (S.C.C.) ................................................................373, 415 Chanh Dao Vietnamese Buddhist Association of Manitob......
  • The Broad, Liberal, and Purposive Interpretation of Quasi-constitutional Legislation
    • Canada
    • Irwin Books Quasi-constitutional Laws of Canada
    • 25 June 2018
    ...misconduct. 195 188 Commission scolaire régionale de Chambly v Bergevin Syndicat de l’enseignement de Champlain, Joseph Kadoch , [1994] 2 SCR 525 at para 32. 189 Ibid. 190 Bellefleur v District of Campbell River Fire Department (No 4) , 2005 BCHRT 541. 191 Above note 185. 192 Ontario Nurses......
  • Request a trial to view additional results

VLEX uses login cookies to provide you with a better browsing experience. If you click on 'Accept' or continue browsing this site we consider that you accept our cookie policy. ACCEPT