R v Oakes: Giving Structure to Section 1 of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms

• Author: Peter W Hogg
• Pages: 665-673



R v Oakes

GI VI NG ST RUCTURETOSECT IO N

OFTHECHARTER OF RIGHTS

AND FREEDOMS

Peter W Hogg*

A. INTRODUCTION

This seriesof theLaw Society SpecialLectu resfocuses oncases that

helpdene Canadaa sa nation Therecan beno doubtthat the

Charter of Rights and FreedomshelpeddeneCanadaasanation andsec

tion oftheCharterwhichdenest hestandardofjudicialreviewisa

veryimportantpartoftheCharterThatisthereasonformyselectionof

R v OakesinwhichDicksonCJgavestructuretosec tionoftheCharter

of Rights and Freedoms

B. HISTORY OF THE CHARTER OF RIGHTS

AND FREEDOMS

The Charter of Rights and FreedomswastheideaofLibe ralPrimeMin ister

PierreTrudeauIn heprovidedarstdraf tonlyto hissenior of

cialswhohadundoubtedlyhelpedwiththedraftingandtothepr ov

incial premiers The provincia l premiers ofall par tiesu nanimously

opposed the project they did not want illdened li mits on the pow

ersof the legislaturest hatthey controlledThe Prime Ministerse ems

to have assumed that the provincial premiers repres ented the views

oftheir constituents andthatt heprojectwould bedeeplyu npopular

 ScholarinResidenceBla keCasselsGraydonLLP