POLI 222 Lecture Notes - Lecture 16: Amicus Curiae, Consciousness Raising, Grocery Store

• School: McGill University
• Department: Political Science
• Course: POLI 222
• Professor: Christa Scholtz

Document Summary

Ask the court to become a friend of the court and have a say on the ruling. She"s pregnant, unemployed, looking for work, after giving birth she applies for unemployment insurance. Her request for benefits are denied on the basis of pregnancy. Takes case to court saying it is discrimination on basis of sex. Treat all members of different groups the same way. S. 28 gender equality outside of the reach of s. 33. First female justice appointed to sc by trudeau. Equal benefits/protection requires judges to analyze (often gendered) impact of law. Andrews case (first case to come to courts under section 15) Grocery store insurance plan has benefits for injured workers. But within group insurance plan pregnancy is excluded (even if health issue is unrelated to pregnancy) Court overturn bliss decision, reversal of prior decision. Federal gov was in support of a substantive equality analysis.