LEAF cases from 2005 to the present

Case	Description	Year	Facta
N.S. v. R.	N.S involves a sexual assault complainant who wears a niqab – a veil which covers the face, with the exception of the eyes. N.S. was ordered to remove the niqab as a precondition to testifying at the preliminary inquiry of two family members charged with sexually abusing her as a child. LEAF's factum argues that an Order requiring N.S. to remove the niqab would violate her s.7 rights to life, liberty and security of the person and her s.15 equality rights. LEAF argues that sexual assault complainants should not be forced to choose between access to justice and observance of their faith.	2010
Withler v. Canada	On March 17, 2010, LEAF intervened in the Supreme Court of Canada case of Withler v. Canada. The case is significant since it is the first appeal heard by the Supreme Court of Canada since June 2008 in which the only basis for the challenge is a violation of s.15 equality rights under the Charter. LEAF intervened to advance the equality rights analysis to ensure that the legal test fully accounts for the lived realities of marginalized groups.	2010
Caron v. Alberta	LEAF intervened in this Supreme Court of Canada case in coalition with the Council of Canadians with Disabilities, the Charter Committee on Poverty Issues and the Poverty and Human Rights Law Centre. The appeal concerns the discretion of the Courts to award advance costs to claimants who would otherwise be unable to litigate their public interest claims. The decision of the Supreme Court in Caron will have significant implications for access to justice for disadvantaged and marginalized groups. The Coalition factum argues that the interests of justice require that legal claims that seek to advance the full social and political participation of marginalized and minority groups fall within the class of “exceptional” cases which are deserving of advance costs	2010
Micmac Nation of Gespeg v. Canada	In February 2009, LEAF was granted leave to intervene by the Federal Court of Appeal in the case of Micmac Nation of Gespeg v. Canada. The appeal is signifcant in that it raises emerging questions of constitutional law with respect to the treatment of affirmative action programs under s. 15(2) of the Charter.	2009
Rick v. Brandsema	Rick v. Brandsema is a B. C. family law case in which the parties entered a seperation agreement that left Mr. Brandsma with substantially more assets than Ms Rick after 27 years of marriage.	2008
Honda v. Keays	This case involved a claim by a disabled employee that he was wrongfully dismissed from his employment by Honda Canada. LEAF intervened in the case to address the issue of discrimination and harassment in the workplace...	2008
Health Services and Support – Facilities Subsector Bargaining Assn. v. British Columbia	At issue in the case is whether the British Columbia government's Health Services Delivery Improvement Act (Bill 29), which voids equality related provisions of existing collective agreements of the female dominated health care sector, violates section 15 of the Charter...	2007
Dickie v. Dickie	Dickie is a family law case that deals with the recourses and remedies available when parties, overwhelmingly men, are in breach of family court orders. The case specifically addresses whether the default of an order to provide security for costs or security for the payment of support obligations is punishable by a contempt of court order...	2007
Watson v. R; Spratt v. R	At issue is the Abortion Services Act requirement that there be no protesting within a certain area surrounding abortion clinics...	2006
DBS v. SRG	This landmark Supreme Court of Canada case concerns the issue of child support and the entitlement of recipient spouses, predominantly mothers, to increased child support following an increase in the income of payer spouses, who are predominantly fathers...	2006
Barney v. Canada (Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development) and United Church of Canada	In 2005, LEAF, the Native Women's Association of Canada (NWAC), and the DisAbled Women's Network (DAWN) Canada intervened in coalition in this landmark case that sought compensation for Aboriginal residential school survivors subjected to multiple forms of abuse...	2005