Judicial/Legal quotes
United Nations
"…the Committee observes that the Covenant does not oblige States parties to fund schools which are established on a religious basis. However, if a State party chooses to provide public funding to religious schools, it should make this funding available without discrimination."
- United Nations Human Rights Committee, Communication Nº 694/1996 : Canada. 05/11/99.
- United Nations Human Rights Committee, Communication Nº 694/1996 : Canada. 05/11/99.
"The Committee expresses concern about the State party’s responses relating to the Committee’s Views in the case Waldman v. Canada (Communication No. 694/1996, Views adopted on 3 November 1999), requesting that an effective remedy be granted to the author eliminating discrimination on the basis of religion in the distribution of subsidies to schools (arts. 2, 18 and 26).
The State party should adopt steps in order to eliminate discrimination on the basis of religion in the funding of schools in Ontario." (emphasis added)
- United Nations Human Rights Committee, Concluding observations of the Human Rights Committee : Canada. 02/11/2005.
The State party should adopt steps in order to eliminate discrimination on the basis of religion in the funding of schools in Ontario." (emphasis added)
- United Nations Human Rights Committee, Concluding observations of the Human Rights Committee : Canada. 02/11/2005.
Canada
"[34] The United Nations jurisprudence may be of persuasive authority in Canadian courts, but it cannot be used to amend or repeal constitutional provisions. Rather, it is a signal from the United Nations that s.93 of the Canadian constitution offends international human rights norms. Solving that problem, if it is thought to be a problem, is a matter of political action: constitutional amendment, as was done in Quebec and Newfoundland." (emphasis added)
- Landau v. Ontario (Attorney General), 2013 ONSC 6152 (CanLII), 1 Oct 2013.
- Landau v. Ontario (Attorney General), 2013 ONSC 6152 (CanLII), 1 Oct 2013.
"[E]quality isn't just about being treated the same, and it isn't a mathematical equation waiting to be solved. Rather, it is about equal human dignity, and full membership in society. It is about promoting an equal sense of self-worth. It is about treating people with equal concern, equal respect, and equal consideration. These are the values that underlie equality. These are the values that are offended when we discriminate, consciously or not."
- The Honourable Madam Justice Claire L'Heureux-Dubé, "A Conversation about Equality" (2000) Denver Journal of Iternational Law and Policy.
- The Honourable Madam Justice Claire L'Heureux-Dubé, "A Conversation about Equality" (2000) Denver Journal of Iternational Law and Policy.
United States of America
"We come then to the question presented: Does segregation of children in public schools solely on the basis of race, even though the physical facilities and other "tangible" factors may be equal, deprive the children of the minority group of equal educational opportunities? We believe that it does...We conclude that, in the field of public education, the doctrine of "separate but equal" has no place. Separate educational facilities are inherently unequal. Therefore, we hold that the plaintiffs and others similarly situated for whom the actions have been brought are, by reason of the segregation complained of, deprived of the equal protection of the laws guaranteed by the Fourteenth Amendment."
- Earl Warren, 14th Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, reading the unanimous decision of the Court in Brown v. Board of Education, 17 May 1954.
- Earl Warren, 14th Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, reading the unanimous decision of the Court in Brown v. Board of Education, 17 May 1954.
"All provisions of federal, state or local law requiring or permitting discrimination in public education must yield."
- Earl Warren, 14th Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, reading the unanimous decision of the Court in Brown v. Board of Education II, 31 May 1955.
- Earl Warren, 14th Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, reading the unanimous decision of the Court in Brown v. Board of Education II, 31 May 1955.