Thirty Years with Section 15 of the Charter: A Report on Legislative Terminology in Canada

Authors

Richard Haigh, Osgoode Hall Law School of York UniversityFollow

Author ORCID Identifier

Richard Haigh: 0000-0002-2828-8566

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2018

Source Publication

National Journal of Constitutional Law, 38(1), 7-34.

Abstract

The article summarizes the results of an audit of every statute in Canada (other than Quebec) for evidence of discriminatory language that could be contrary to s. 15 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. It is a revisit of audits that were completed in the three-year holiday granted to s. 15 until April 1985, which generally concluded that governments did not systematically address the wide-ranging instances of direct discrimination in Canadian legislation as promised. Over thirty years later, the article shows that the problem still persists. Wide disparities in legislative attempts to comply with s. 15 remain — with the ground of “sex” remaining the most concerning. The article also reviews other grounds of direct discrimination that can be found in legislative provisions, although these are generally less problematic.

In terms of gendered language, Canadian laws now contain a random admixture of neutral and non-neutral language, some discriminatory and some likely justified. Piecemeal reform continues to be the norm. The audit reveals such continuing problems in statutes as gendered job titles, assumed male officials and professionals, outdated terms, archaic language in older statutes and incorporated laws. Relatively simple solutions, such as comprehensive neutral drafting reforms are examined. The article concludes with a call for comprehensive review and reform by federal, provincial and territorial governments.

French Abstract

Dans cet article, l'auteur resume les resultats d'une verification de chaque loi au Canada (ailleurs qu'au Quebec) visant a identifier l'utilisation de libelles discriminatoires susceptibles de porter atteinte a l'article 15 de la Charte canadienne des droits et libertes. Il s'agit d'une revision des verifications effectuees pendant les trois annees de conge accordees a l'article 15 jusqu'en avril 1985, qui concluaient d'une maniere generale que les gouvernements ne s'attaquaient pas systematiquement aux nombreux cas de discrimination directe prevus dans la legislation canadienne. Plus de trente ans plus tard, l'auteur demontre que le probleme persiste. Il subsiste de grandes disparities dans les tentatives legislatives de se conformer ¿i l'article 15 - le motif du sexe restant le plus preoccupant. L'auteur passe egalement en revue d'autres motifs de discrimination directe que l'on peut trouver dans les dispositions legislatives, bien qu'ils soient généralement moins problematiques.

En matiere de langage sexospecifique, les lois canadiennes contiennent maintenant un melange aleatoire de termes neutres et non neutres, certains discriminatoires et d'autres probablement justifies. La reforme fragmentaire continue d'etre la norme. La verification revele des problemes persistants comme les titres d'emploi selon le sexe, les fonctionnaires et professionnels de sexe masculin presume, les termes perimes, le langage archai'que dans les lois anciennes et les lois incorporees. Des solutions relativement simples, comme des reformes exhaustives de la redaction neutre, sont examinees. L'auteur termine par un appel en faveur d'une revision et d'une reforme exhaustives par les gouvernements federal, provinciaux et territoriaux.

Repository Citation

Haigh, Richard, "Thirty Years with Section 15 of the Charter: A Report on Legislative Terminology in Canada" (2018). Articles & Book Chapters. 3033.
https://digitalcommons.osgoode.yorku.ca/scholarly_works/3033