Charter of Rights and Freedoms
CMAC Rules Military Judges Are Not Independent or Impartial: R v Christmas
On February 2, 2023, the Supreme Court of Canada (“SCC”) granted leave to appeal from the Court Martial Appeal Court of Canada (“CMAC”) in the case of R v Christmas, 2020 CM 3009 [Christmas]. In this case, the CMAC considers whether a military officer’s s. 11(d) Charter right “to be presumed innocent until proven guilty […]
Unreasonable Search and Seizure in the Workplace: SCC Grants Leave in YRDSB v ETFO
In Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario v York Region District School Board, 2022 ONCA 476 [Elementary Teachers], the Ontario Court of Appeal (“ONCA”) explored whether employees had a right to be protected against unreasonable search and seizure in the workplace under section 8 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms [Charter]. Determining that employees have section 8 Charter rights, the ONCA also ruled on the scope of employees’ reasonable expectation of privacy, setting out important developments on this issue in the process. On March 16, 2023, the Supreme Court of Canada (“SCC”) granted the application for leave to appeal in this case.
Free Pass Faux Pas: The Charter Still Applies to Extraterritorial Activities
Introduction In R v McGregor, 2023 SCC 4 [McGregor], the Supreme Court of Canada (“SCC”) dismissed an appeal from the Court Martial Appeal Court of Canada. This case involves the consideration of the extraterritorial application of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, Part I of the Constitution Act, 1982, being Schedule B to the […]
Appeals Watch: Judicial Independence and the Military Chain of Command – SCC grants leave in R v Brown.
Introduction On February 2, 2023, the Supreme Court of Canada (“SCC”/“Court”) granted leave for an appeal from the Court Martial Appeal Court of Canada (“CMAC”) in the case of R v Brown [2022] CMAC 2. The case concerns a seldom traversed area of appellate jurisprudence at the SCC, touching on the appropriate relationship between the […]