Achievements
“The most fundamental challenge for the judiciary in the years to come – one without which all other efforts will fail – is to maintain the proper constitutional balance between the judiciary on the one hand and the legislative and executive branches of governance on the other.” Right Honourable Beverley McLachlin, P.C., Chief Justice of Canada, 2016 Speech.
It is the responsibility of the judiciary to hold the government accountable for respecting our Charter rights, but only if someone takes the initiative to bring these matters before the courts.
That is a role that the Justice Centre has undertaken to fill for over a decade. Each case can contribute to protecting the Charter rights of Canadians in a variety of ways.
Court
Victories
Victories
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Victories in court tend to be the most well-known achievements and generate a great deal of media attention. These victories often result in precedents being set that influence the outcomes of other similar cases. Every Justice Centre victory in court serves to better advance the cause of freedom in Canada.
dropped
charges
charges
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In some instances, we are able to communicate with Crown Counsel on behalf of our clients, explain the circumstances, and convince them that it is not in the public interest to pursue a particular case. This often results in charges being dropped.
Out of Court
Successes
Successes
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There are times when it is in the best interest of our clients to accept a settlement without attending court. Often the institution that they are in dispute with will offer to solve the issue by offering to accommodate in some way.
policy
changes
changes
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The Justice Centre provides accountability to the government, demonstrated by filing court cases on matter of public interest. Often, such cases will never go to court, but there will be policy changes that result from this action, impacting the lives of Canadians across the country.