The Charter Revolution and the Court Party

by F.L. Morton, Rainer Knopff

The Charter of Rights has transformed Canadian politics. The Supreme Court has used the Charter to change government policy on an ever-expanding list of controversial issues-abortion, aboriginal rights, gay rights, bilingualism, criminal law enforcement, and prisoner-voting. The Court has made itself the second most powerful institution in Canadian politics after the Federal Cabinet. Morton and Knopff demonstrate that the Court is not so much the cause as the means by which the Charter Revolution has been achieved. Behind the judges is a well orchestrated network of state-funded interest groups that use litigation and the media to achieve what they can't win through democratic elections.

Genres: Canada, Politics, History, Law

240 pages, Paperback

First published April 6, 2000

About the author

Frederick Lee Morton (also known as Ted Morton) is a Canadian politician and former Alberta cabinet minister. He was Progressive Conservative MLA for Foothills-Rocky View from 2004 to 2012.

Reviews

[Brendan Dell]

Interesting and somewhat compelling thesis. But only backed up with lengthy anecdotes. In need of empirical data to back the claims - but it is what it is: a piece grappling with the early impact of the Charter. While the biases are clear - its value is more in the subsequent debate, conversation, and research it sparked than the argument and research advanced in the book.