Egan v Canada

Egan v Canada, [1995] 2 SCR 513 was one of a trilogy of equality rights cases published by a very divided Supreme Court of Canada in the spring of 1995. It stands today as a landmark Supreme Court case which established that sexual orientation constitutes a prohibited basis of discrimination under section 15 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

Egan v Canada
Supreme Court of Canada
Hearing: Argued November 1, 1994
Judgment: Decided May 25, 1995
Full case nameJames Egan and John Norris Nesbit v. Her Majesty The Queen in Right of Canada
Citations[1995] 2 SCR 513, 124 DLR (4th) 609, 12 RFL (4th) 201, 29 CRR (2d) 79, 96 FTR 80
Docket No.23636
Prior historyAppeal dismissed by the Federal Court of Appeal.
RulingAppeal dismissed
Holding
The definition of "spouse" in section 2 of the Old Age Security Act, which excludes same-sex couples, is constitutional. Sexual orientation is a prohibited ground of discrimination under section 15 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
Court membership
Chief Justice: Antonio Lamer
Puisne Justices: Gérard La Forest, Claire L'Heureux-Dubé, John Sopinka, Charles Gonthier, Peter Cory, Beverley McLachlin, Frank Iacobucci, John C. Major
Reasons given
MajorityLa Forest J, joined by Lamer CJ and Gonthier and Major JJ
ConcurrenceSopinka J
DissentCory and Iacobucci JJ
DissentL'Heureux-Dubé J
DissentMcLachlin J
Laws applied
Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, s 15, s 1; Old Age Security Act, RSC, 1985, c O-9 , ss 2, 19(1).
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