Equality Rights

This course provides an overview of equality rights under s.15 of the Charter. Topics to be examined include the origins of the language in the text of s.15; theories of equality; definitions of intentional and adverse effects discrimination; the interpretation of the listed grounds of discrimination; the recognition and the relationship between the guarantee of equality in s.15(l) and the protection of ameliorative programmes in s.15(2); the relationship between s.15 and s.1; remedies available for the violation of equality rights; the extent to which particular listed or analogous grounds of discrimination have generated a body of case law; and an evaluation of the utility of litigation and rights discourse to further progressive goals.