Question Period Note: Commission scolaire francophone des Territoires du Nord-Ouest v. Minister of Education, Culture and Employment of the Northwest Territories

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About

Reference number:
PCH-2024-QP00045
Date received:
Dec 15, 2023
Organization:
Canadian Heritage
Name of Minister:
Bendayan, Rachel (Hon.)
Title of Minister:
Minister of Official Languages

Issue/Question:

Factum of the Attorney General of Canada: Commission scolaire francophone des Territoires du Nord-Ouest v. Minister of Education, Culture and Employment of the Northwest Territories

Suggested Response:

We welcome and will analyze with interest the Supreme Court's decision, underscoring the importance of considering the maintenance and development of official language minority communities in decisions about access to education.

Background:

On December 8, 2023, the Supreme Court ruled in the case between the Commission scolaire francophone des Territoires du Nord-Ouest (CSFTN-O) and the Minister of Education, Culture and Training of the Northwest Territories (Department of Education) that the Minister did not take into account section 23 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms when she refused to admit the children of noncitizens to the territory's French-language schools. In the future, provincial and territorial governments will have to consider section 23 in similar cases.

Additional Information:

None