List of Supreme Court of Canada cases (Laskin Court) explained

This is a chronological list of notable cases decided by the Supreme Court of Canada from the appointment of Bora Laskin in 1973 as Chief Justice to his death in office in 1984. Laskin was the first Chief Justice to hear cases under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms implemented in 1982.

19731974

width=34% Case name !width=16% Citation !font=small width=16% Date !width=33% Subject
December 27, 1973Bora Laskin is appointed as Chief Justice of Canada
Calder v British Columbia (AG)[1973] SCR 313January 31, 1973Aboriginal rights
Jordan House Hotel Ltd v Menow[1974] SCR 239commercial host liability
Canadian Aero Service Ltd v O'Malley[1974] SCR 592June 29, 1973corporate director's fiduciary duties
Canada (AG) v Lavell[1974] SCR 1349August 27, 1973equality, Bill of Rights
Moran v Pyle National (Canada) Ltd[1975] 1 SCR 393Conflict of laws
Murdoch v Murdoch[1975] 1 SCR 423Division of matrimonial property

19751979

width=34% Case name !width=16% Citation !font=small width=16% Date !width=33% Subject
Kienapple v R[1975] 1 SCR 729the "kienapple" principle of multiple criminal charges
Jones v New Brunswick (AG)[1975] 2 SCR 182validity of Official Languages Act
Interprovincial Cooperatives Ltd v R(1975), [1976] 1 SCR 477constitutional extraterritoriality
Morgentaler v R[1976] 1 SCR 616March 26, 1975abortion
Harrison v Carswell[1976] 2 SCR 200pre-Charter right to protest
Morgan v Prince Edward Island (AG)[1976] 2 SCR 349limiting right to own land
Reference Re Anti-Inflation Act[1976] 2 SCR 373July 12, 1976peace, order and good government power
MacDonald v Vapor Canada Ltd[1977] 2 SCR 134constitutionality of the Trade-marks Act
Amax Potash Ltd v Saskatchewan[1977] 2 SCR 576October 5, 1976Ability of government to protect itself from unfavourable findings on federalism issues.
Miller v R[1977] 2 SCR 680Bill of Rights; Cruel and unusual punishment
R v Leary[1978] 1 SCR 29March 8, 1977intoxication defence
Kruger v R[1978] 1 SCR 104May 31, 1977Indian Act and provincial gaming laws
Smithers v R[1978] 1 SCR 506May 17, 1977criminal causation test
Capital Cities Communications Inc v Canadian Radio-Television Commission[1978] 2 SCR 141November 30, 1977federal works and undertakings
Quebec (AG) v Kellogg's Co of Canada[1978] 2 SCR 211January 19, 1978freedom of expression
Arnold v Teno[1978] 2 SCR 287January 19, 1978duty of care; unforeseeable plaintiff
Nova Scotia (Board of Censors) v McNeil[1978] 2 SCR 662January 19, 1978federalism; provincial power to censor
Canada (AG) v Montreal (City of)[1978] 2 SCR 770January 19, 1978Federalism and municipal power to create preventative by-laws
Reference Re Agricultural Products Marketing Act[1978] 2 SCR 1198
R v Sault Ste-Marie (City of)[1978] 2 SCR 1299May 1, 1978strict liability offences
Manitoba Fisheries Ltd v R[1979] 1 SCR 101October 3, 1978expropriation; regulatory taking
Bliss v Canada (AG)[1979] 1 SCR 183October 31, 1978Canadian Bill of Rights
R v Hauser[1979] 1 SCR 984May 1, 1979federalism; peace, order and good government
Cherneskey v Armadale Publishers Ltd[1979] 1 SCR 1067November 21, 1978defamation
Canadian Union of Public Employees, Local 963 v New Brunswick Liquor Corp[1979] 2 SCR 227judicial review
Dunlop v R[1979] 2 SCR 881May 31, 1979aiding and abetting
Lewis v R[1979] 2 SCR 821June 14, 1979Murder; motive
Quebec (AG) v Blaikie (No 1)[1979] 2 SCR 1016December 13, 1979language rights

19801984

width=34% Case name !width=16% Citation !font=small width=16% Date !width=33% Subject
Solosky v R[1980] 1 SCR 821December 21, 1979solicitor-client privilege
Labatt Breweries of Canada Ltd v Canada (AG)[1980] 1 SCR 914federal legislative power
Pappajohn v R[1980] 2 SCR 120May 20, 1980rape defence
Pettkus v Becker[1980] 2 SCR 834December 18, 1980unjust enrichment
Reibl v Hughes[1980] 2 SCR 880October 7, 1980duty to disclose
R v Ron Engineering and Construction (Eastern) Ltd[1981] 1 SCR 111January 27, 1981offer and acceptance
Re Residential Tenancies Act, 1979[1981] 1 SCR 714May 28, 1981jurisdiction of courts
Seneca College v Bhadauria[1981] 2 S.C.R. 181June 22, 1981Human rights, tort, discrimination
Patriation Reference[1981] 1 SCR 753September 28, 1981patriation of the Constitution of Canada
Canada (Minister of Justice) v Borowski[1981] 2 SCR 575December 1, 1981public interest standing
Ontario (Human Rights Commission) v Etobicoke (Borough of)[1982] 1 SCR 202February 9, 1982age discrimination
April 17, 1982 - The Constitution Act, 1982, which includes the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, enters into effect
Vetrovec v R[1982] 1 SCR 811May 31, 1982evidence
Descôteaux v Mierzwinski[1982] 1 SCR 860June 23, 1982privilege
Multiple Access Ltd v McCutcheon[1982] 2 SCR 161August 9, 1982overlapping federal and provincial laws
Shell Oil Co v Canada (Commissioner of Patents)[1982] 2 SCR 536November 2, 1982patents
Quebec Veto Reference[1982] 2 SCR 793December 6, 1982Quebec veto
Graat v R[1982] 2 SCR 819December 21, 1982opinion evidence
Westendorp v R[1983] 1 SCR 43January 25, 1983division of powers
Canada (Labour Relations Board) v Paul L'Anglais Inc[1983] 1 SCR 147February 8, 1983jurisdiction of courts
R v Saskatchewan Wheat Pool[1983] 1 SCR 205February 8, 1983tort of breach of statutory duty
R v Perka[1984] 2 SCR 232October 11, 1984defence of necessity
Re Upper Churchill Water Rights Reversion Act[1984] 1 SCR 297May 3, 1984provincial legislative power
March 26, 1984death of Chief Justice Bora Laskin

See also