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Indigenous, Indian, and Aboriginal Law

Schulich School of Law, Dalhousie University

Journal

Constitution Act

Publication Year

Articles 1 - 2 of 2

Full-Text Articles in Law

Of Provinces And S.35 Rights, Kerry Wilkins Apr 1999

Of Provinces And S.35 Rights, Kerry Wilkins

Dalhousie Law Journal

It is now well established that federal law and regulatory activity may interfere with the exercise of aboriginal peoples' existing treaty and aboriginal rights, despite s. 35(1) of the Constitution Act, 1982, whenever the federal government can justify the interference. It is not yet clear, though, what power, if any, Canada's provinces have to regulate, even in justified ways, such rights and their exercise. This article argues that the provinces, as a general rule, have no such authority. Except in certain very specific and isolated circumstances, they have no power, even apart from s. 35, to regulate the exercise of …


Justification And Cultural-Authority In S.35(1) Of The Constitution Act, 1982: Regina V. Sparrow, Chris Tennant Oct 1991

Justification And Cultural-Authority In S.35(1) Of The Constitution Act, 1982: Regina V. Sparrow, Chris Tennant

Dalhousie Law Journal

Regina v. Sparrow is the first decision of the Supreme Court of Canada under s.35(1) of the Constitution Ac 1982. The case has wide-reaching implications for the recognition and limitation of aboriginal rights. This case comment will explore some of the implications of Sparrow, with a focus on the test developed by the Court for the justification of government regulation of aboriginal rights. In particular, the question of the cultural authority of non-aboriginal judges to justify legislation regulating aboriginal rights will be addressed.