Minority Language Educational Rights, Re, (1984) 4 O.A.C. 321 (CA)

• Judge: Lacourcière, Blair, Cory, Robins and Tarnopolsky, JJ.A.
• Court: Court of Appeal (Ontario)
• Case Date: January 01, 1984
• Jurisdiction: Ontario
• Citations: (1984), 4 O.A.C. 321 (CA)

Minority Lang. Educational Rights, Re (1984), 4 O.A.C. 321 (CA)

MLB headnote and full text

Re Minority Language Educational Rights

Indexed As: Minority Language Educational Rights, Re

Ontario Court of Appeal

Lacourcière, Blair, Cory, Robins and Tarnopolsky, JJ.A.

June, 1984.

Summary:

Pursuant to the Constitutional Questions Act the Lieutenant Governor-in-Council referred to the Ontario Court of Appeal four questions concerning the constitutional validity of several sections of the Education Act - See paragraph 1. The Court of Appeal answered all questions in the affirmative.

Constitutional Law - Topic 1014

Interpretation of Constitution Act - History - The Ontario Court of Appeal stated that following the Constitutional Act, 1982, the interpretation of guaranteed rights, such as minority language educational rights, requires a broad approach which would include a consideration of historical developments - See paragraph 14.

Statutes - Topic 1604

Interpretation - Extrinsic aids - History - The Ontario Court of Appeal stated that history, while not determinative, provides an insight into the background of a statute and the basis on which it was enacted - See paragraph 15.

Civil Rights - Topic 8461

Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms - Interpretation - The Ontario Court of Appeal stated that the Charter should be given a large and liberal interpretation - See paragraph 81.

Civil Rights - Topic 2881

Language - Education - The Ontario Court of Appeal summarized the history of minority language educational rights in Ontario - See paragraphs 14 to 50.

Civil Rights - Topic 8484

Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms - Language rights - The Ontario Court of Appeal stated that minority language educational rights in s. 23 of the Charter should be interpreted liberally - See paragraph 54.

Civil Rights - Topic 2888

Language - Education - Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, s. 23 - Invalid provincial legislation - The Ontario Court of Appeal declared that s. 258 and s. 261 of the Ontario Education Act were inconsistent with s. 23 of the Charter (see paragraph 57) - The court referred to particulars of the sections which were inconsistent - See paragraphs 58 to 77.

Civil Rights - Topic 8626

Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms - Regulation of guaranteed rights - Vagueness rule - The Ontario Court of Appeal declared invalid sections of the Ontario Education Act which granted an unfettered discretion to school boards to regulate minority language educational rights - See paragraphs 67 to 69.

Civil Rights - Topic 2888

Language - Education - Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, s. 23 - Invalid provincial legislation - The Ontario Court of Appeal stated that legislation which fixes a minimum number of students required (before French language instruction is provided) may be difficult to apply across the province without any qualification or exemption (see paragraph 74) - The court also stated that the geographical limitations imposed on school boards were inconsistent with the minority language educational rights in s. 23 of the Charter - See paragraph 77.

Civil Rights - Topic 2890

Language - Education - Right of minority to control its schools - The Ontario Court of Appeal interpreted s. 23 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and held that the French linguistic minority in Ontario is entitled to manage and control any french language educational facilities - See paragraphs 79 to 110.

Statutes - Topic 1800

Interpretation - Bilingual statutes - The Ontario Court of Appeal referred to an approach to the construction of bilingual statutes - See paragraphs 84 to 85.

Constitutional Law - Topic 9622

Education - Language - The Ontario Court of Appeal stated that language falls under the general power in relation to education vested in a province by the introductory words of s. 93 of the Constitution Act, 1867 - See paragraph 118.

Statutes - Topic 2601

Interpretation by context - The Ontario Court of Appeal applied the rule that a clause in a statute should be construed with reference to the context and other clauses in the statute - See paragraph 93.

Statutes - Topic 518

Interpretation - Mischief rule - The Ontario Court of Appeal in interpreting s. 23 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms considered its historical context and the mischief it was intended to remedy - See paragraphs 99, 100.

Civil Rights - Topic 2892

Language - Education - Denominational schools, application of s. 23 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms - The Ontario Court of Appeal held that s. 23 applied equally to denominational schools and public schools - The court stated that language of instruction in a school is a matter of linguistic and not denominational concern and that choice of language is not a right or privilege under s. 93 of the Constitution Act, 1867 (which gave special protection to denominational schools existing in 1867) - See paragraphs 111 to 129.

Constitutional Law - Topic 9551

Education - Separate or denominational schools - Regulation, valid provincial legislation - Constitution Act 1867, s. 93(1) - The Province of Ontario proposed to enact legislation which would establish a minority language section of a board of trustees - The minority language section would be elected by minority language electors - The minority language section would be responsible for educational programs for minority language pupils of the school board - The Ontario Court of Appeal stated that the proposals did not prejudicially affect the rights of separate school supporters protected by s. 93(1) - See paragraphs 130 to 152.

Words and Phrases

Facilities - The Ontario Court of Appeal discussed the meaning of the word "facilities" as found in s. 23 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms - See paragraph 86.

Cases Noticed:

Constitutional Amendment Reference, [1981] 1 S.C.R. 753; 39 N.R. 1, ref'd to. [para. 14].

Ottawa Separate School Board Trustees v. Mackell, [1917] A.C. 62, ref'd to. [para. 32].

Roman Catholic Separate School Trustees for Tiny et al. v. The King, [1928] A.C. 363, ref'd to. [para. 34].

Re Southam Inc. and The Queen (No. 1) (1983), 41 O.R.(2d) 113, ref'd to. [para. 54].

Re Ontario Film and Video Appreciation Society and Ontario Board of Censors (1983), 41 O.R.(2d) 583, aff'd 2 O.A.C. 388, ref'd to. [para. 67].

Smith v. Goguen (1974), 415 U.S. 566, ref'd to. [para. 69].

Shuttlesworth v. City of Birmingham (1969), 394 U.S. 147, ref'd to. [para. 69].

R. v. Compagnie Immobilière BCN Ltée, [1979] 1 S.C.R. 865; 25 N.R. 361, ref'd to. [para. 85].

Hill v. William Hill (Park Lane) Ltd., [1949] A.C. 530, ref'd to. [para. 90].

Colquhoun v. Brooks (1889), 14 App. Cas. 493, ref'd to. [para. 93].

Canada Sugar Refining Co. v. The Queen, [1898] A.C. 735, ref'd to. [para. 93].

Heydon's Case (1584), 3 Co. Rep. 7a, ref'd to. [para. 99].

Reference Re Anti-Inflation Act, [1976] 2 S.C.R. 373; 9 N.R. 541, ref'd to. [paras. 100, 132].

Reference Re Authority of Parliament in Relation to the Upper House, [1980] 1 S.C.R. 54; 30 N.R. 271, ref'd to. [paras. 100, 132].

Reference Re Residential Tenancies Act, [1981] 1 S.C.R. 714; 37 N.R. 158, ref'd to. [paras. 100, 132].

R. v. Wetmore et al. (1983), 49 N.R. 286, ref'd to. [para. 100].

Maher v. Town of Portland, [1896] Wheeler's Confederation Law of Canada 338, ref'd to. [para. 116].

Belleville Roman Catholic Separate School Trustees v. Grainer (1878), 25 Gr. 570 (Ont. Ch.), ref'd to. [para. 119].

Regina Public School v. Gratton Separate School (1914), 18 D.L.R. 571, ref'd to. [para. 119].

Ottawa Roman Catholic Separate School Trustees v. Ottawa Corporation, [1917] A.C. 76, ref'd to. [para. 121].

Attorney General of Manitoba v. Manitoba Egg and Poultry Association (the Egg Marketing Reference), [1971] S.C.R. 689, ref'd to. [para. 132].

Protestant School Board of Greater Montreal et al. v. Minister of Education of Quebec et al. (1976), 83 D.L.R.(3d) 645, ref'd to. [para. 144].

Re Essex County Roman Catholic Separate School Board and Tremblay-Webster et al. (1984), 2 O.A.C. 74; 45 O.R.(2d) 83 (C.A.), ref'd to. [para. 144].

Moose Jaw Board of Education v. A.G. Saskatchewan (1975), 57 D.L.R.(3d) 315 (Sask. C.A.), ref'd to. [para. 144].

Tiny Case, [1927] S.C.R. 637, ref'd to. [para. 146].

Re Essex County Roman Catholic Separate School Board and Porter et al. (1978), 89 D.L.R.(3d) 445, ref'd to. [para. 146].

Statutes Noticed:

Education Act, R.S.O. 1980, c. 129, sect. 258, sect. 261 [para. 10].

Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, 1982, sect. 23 [para. 48].

Constitution Act, 1867, sect. 93 [para. 111].

Constitution Act, 1982, sect. 23 [para. 48].

Authors and Works Noticed:

Gilbert, Martin and Sheehan, A Hard Act to Follow, 1983, page 38 [para. 8].

Wade, M., The French Canadians, 1760-1967 (1968), vol. 1, page 63 [para. 17].

Dictionary of Canadian Biography 1982, vol. 11, 789 [para 21].

Tarnopolsky & Beaudoin, Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms (1982), page 30 [para. 82].

Beaupré, Construing Bilingual Legislation in Canada, 1981, page 125 [para. 84].

Oxford English Dictionary, 1972 [para. 86].

Random House Dictionary, 1969 [para. 86].

Lexique Anglais-Français De L'Enfance En Difficulté, 1982 [para. 86].

Chamber's Twentieth Century Dictionary, 1974 [para. 86].

Dictionnaire alphabétique et analogique de la Langue Française, Robert 1978 [para. 87].

Petit Larousse Illustré, 1977 [para. 87].

Dictionnaire Juridique, Quemner, 1977 [para. 87].

Craies on Statute Law, 7th Ed., page 96 [para. 99].

Driedger, E.A., The Construction of Statutes, 2nd. Ed., 1983, page 149 [para. 99].

Counsel:

J. Cavarzan, Q.C., R. Copeland, Q.C., and E. Goldbert, for the Attorney General of Ontario;

T. Smith, Q.C., P. Evraire, Q.C., and S. Clarke, for the Attorney General of Canada;

Generally supporting a negative answer on Questions 1 and 2:

B. Stewart, Q.C., and M. Hines, for Ontario Public School Trustees and Metropolitan Toronto School Board;

M.A. Green, for Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation;

P. Cavalluzzo, for Ontario English Catholic Teachers' Association;

R.L. Falby, Q.C., H.M. Kelly, Q.C., and P.D. Lauwers, for Ontario Separate School Trustees' Association and Metropolitan Separate School Board;

Generally supporting an affirmative answer on Questions 1 and 2:

B.A. Crane, Q.C., P. Rouleau and R. Richards, for Association Canadienne-Française de l'Ontario, Association des Enseignants Franco-Ontariens and individual intervenants;

P. Genest, Q.C., and P. Rouleau, for Association française des conseils scolaires de l'Ontario and Association canadienne d'education de langue française;

R.J. Ostiguy, for Ottawa Board of Education;

M.R. Théroux, for Conseil francophone de planification scolaire d'Ottawa-Carleton;

M. Shipman, for Ontario Association of Alternative and Independent Schools;

J.B. Gregorovich, in person [Coalition for Language Rights in Ontario];

Albert J. Roy, Q.C., and M. Ben-Dat for Liberal Party of Ontario, Provincial Liberal Caucus;

N. Duguid, for New Democratic Party of Ontario and Robert Rae;

R. Décary, for Fédération des francophones hors-Québec Inc.;

R. C. Buchan, for M. Yalden, Commissioner of Official Languages;

C.K. Irving and S. Simpson, for Quebec Association of Protestant School Boards;

J. Magnet, for Alliance Québec;

R. March, in person;

J. Lemire, in person.

This reference was heard by Lacourcière, Blair, Cory, Robins and Tarnopolsky, JJ.A., of the Ontario Court of Appeal on January 16, 17, 18, 19 and 20, 1984. The judgment of the court was delivered and released in June 1984.