Vriend v Alberta

Vriend v Alberta
Supreme Court of Canada
Hearing: November 4, 1997 Judgment: April 2, 1998
Full case name	Delwin Vriend, Gala-Gay and Lesbian Awareness Society of Edmonton, Gay and Lesbian Community Centre of Edmonton Society and Dignity Canada Dignité for Gay Catholics and Supporters v Her Majesty The Queen in Right of Alberta and Her Majesty's Attorney General in and for the Province of Alberta
Citations	[1998] 1 S.C.R. 493; 1998 CanLII 816 (S.C.C.); 1998), 156 D.L.R. (4th) 385; (1998), [1999] 5 W.W.R. 451; [1998] 31 C.H.R.R. 1; (1998), 50 C.R.R. (2d) 1; (1998), 67 Alta. L.R. (3d) 1
Docket No.	25285 [1]
Prior history	Partial judgment for the Crown in the Alberta Court of Appeal
Ruling	Appeal allowed and cross-appeal dismissed.
Holding
A legislative omission regarding sexual orientation in the Alberta Individual Rights Protection Act violates section 15 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and cannot be saved under section 1 of the Charter.
Court membership
Chief Justice: Antonio Lamer Puisne Justices: Claire L'Heureux-Dubé, John Sopinka, Charles Gonthier, Peter Cory, Beverley McLachlin, Frank Iacobucci, John C. Major, Michel Bastarache
Reasons given
Majority	Cory and Iacobucci JJ. (paras. 1-181), joined by Lamer C.J., and Gonthier, McLachlin, and Bastarache JJ.
Concurrence	L'Heureux-Dubé J. (paras. 182-187)
Concur/dissent	Major J. (para. 188-202)
Sopinka J. took no part in the consideration or decision of the case.

Vriend v Alberta [1998] 1 S.C.R. 493 is an important Supreme Court of Canada case that determined that a legislative omission can be the subject of a Charter violation. The case involved a dismissal of a teacher because of his sexual orientation and was an issue of great controversy during that period.