Developing a Charter Practice: The Changing Role of Interventions

• Author: Andrew Lokan
• Pages: 564-576



DevelopingaCharter Practice

THECHANGINGROLEOFINTERVENTIONS

Andrew Lokan*

A. INTRODUCTION

WhentheCharter cameintoeectinthecourtshadlileexperience

indealingwiththekindofsocialpolicyissuesthatweretoariseunder

itsbroadguaranteesofrightsandfreedomsPriortoconstitutional

litigationhadtakenplaceprimarilybetweengovernmentsandthesub

jectmaerofthiskindoflitigationdivisionofpowerswasfocusedon

the vires oftheenactinglegislatureQuestionsofpublicpolicyorbroad

societalimpactwererarelyacknowledgedandthecourtsdidnotques

tionthewisdomoftheelectedbranchesofgovernment

HowevertheCharter changedthelandscapesignicantlyAstheSu

premeCourtofCanadaobservedinMacKay v Manitoba

Chartercaseswillfrequentlybeconcernedwithconceptsandprinci

plesthatareoffundamentalimportancetoCanadiansocietyForex

ampleissuespertainingtofreedomofreligionfreedomofexpression

andtherighttolifelibertyandthesecurityoftheindividualwillhave

tobeconsideredbythecourtsDecisionsontheseissuesmustbecare

fullyconsideredastheywillprofoundlyaectthelivesofCanadians

andallresidentsofCanada

 PaliareRolandRosenbergRothsteinLLP

 MacKay v ManitobaSCRatpara