# 1997 reasons of the Supreme Court of Canada

The table below lists the reasons delivered from the bench by the Supreme Court of Canada during 1997. The table illustrates what reasons were filed by each justice in each case, and which justices joined each reason. This list, however, does not include reasons on motions.

## Reasons

| Delivered the Court's reason | Joined the Court's reason | Filed a concurrence | Joined a concurrence |
| Filed a dissent | Joined a dissent | Filed a concurrence/dissent | Joined a concurrence/dissent |
| Did not participate in the judgment | Did not participate in the final disposition of the judgment | Not a member of the Court at the time of hearing or delivering |
| Decisions that do not note a Justice delivering the Court's reason are per coram. Multiple concurrences and dissents within a case are numbered, with joining votes numbered accordingly. Justices occasionally join multiple reasons in a single case; each vote is subdivided accordingly. Multiple unnumbered reasons are jointly written or delivered. Decisions that are given orally from the bench are denoted by a "V"; per coram decisions delivered orally from the bench only note a "V" on the most senior justice on the panel. An asterisk ( * ) in the Court's opinion denotes that it was only a majority in part or a plurality. ||||
| Case name | Argued | Decided | Lamer | La Forest | L'Heureux‑ Dubé | Sopinka | Gonthier | Cory | McLachlin | Iacobucci | Major |
| R v Hinse, [1997] 1 S.C.R. 3 | January 21, 1997 | January 21, 1997 | | | | | V | | | | |
| Burlington Northern Railroad Co v Canadian National Railway Co, [1997] 1 S.C.R. 5 | January 21, 1997 | January 21, 1997 | | V | | | | | | | |
| R v Osvath, [1997] 1 S.C.R. 7 | January 23, 1997 | January 23, 1997 | | | V | | | | | | |
| R v C(DA), [1997] 1 S.C.R. 8 | January 24, 1997 | January 24, 1997 | | | | V | | | | | |
| Toronto Area Transit Operating Authority v Dell Holdings Ltd, [1997] 1 S.C.R. 32 | October 9, 1996 | January 30, 1997 | | | | | | | | | |
| R v Finn, [1997] 1 S.C.R. 10 | January 30, 1997 | January 30, 1997 | | | | V | | | | | |
| R v Delaronde, [1997] 1 S.C.R. 213 | January 30, 1997 | January 30, 1997 | V | | | | | | | | |
| Hill v Nova Scotia (AG), [1997] 1 S.C.R. 69 | November 27, 1996 | January 30, 1997 | | | | | | | | | |
| Comeau's Sea Foods Ltd v Canada (Minister of Fisheries and Oceans), [1997] 1 S.C.R. 12 | October 2, 1996 | January 30, 1997 | | | | | | | | | |
| R v Leipert, [1997] 1 S.C.R. 281 | November 28, 1996 | February 6, 1997 | | | | | | | | | |
| Case name | Argued | Decided | Lamer | La Forest | L'Heureux‑ Dubé | Sopinka | Gonthier | Cory | McLachlin | Iacobucci | Major |
| R v Latimer, [1997] 1 S.C.R. 217 | November 27, 1996 | February 6, 1997 | | | | | | | | | |
| R v Carosella, [1997] 1 S.C.R. 80 | June 19, 1996 | February 6, 1997 | | | | | | | | | |
| Eaton v Brant County Board of Education, [1997] 1 S.C.R. 241 | October 8, 1996 | February 6, 1997 | | | | | | | | | |
| R v Jensen, [1997] 1 S.C.R. 304 | February 11, 1997 | February 11, 1997 | | | | V | | | | | |
| R v MacDonnell, [1997] 1 S.C.R. 305 | February 13, 1997 | February 13, 1997 | | | | V | | | | | |
| R v Wickstead, [1997] 1 S.C.R. 307 | February 14, 1997 | February 14, 1997 | | | | V | | | | | |
| Goodswimmer v Canada (Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development), [1997] 1 S.C.R. 309 | February 18, 1997 | February 18, 1997 | V | | | | | | | | |
| R v Thompson, [1997] 1 S.C.R. 311 | February 19, 1997 | February 19, 1997 | V | | | | | | | | |
| R v Naud, [1997] 1 S.C.R. 312 | February 20, 1997 | February 20, 1997 | | | | | | | | | |
| R v Jacquard, [1997] 1 S.C.R. 314 | October 10, 1996 | February 20, 1997 | | | | 1 | | 2 | | | 1 |
| Case name | Argued | Decided | Lamer | La Forest | L'Heureux‑ Dubé | Sopinka | Gonthier | Cory | McLachlin | Iacobucci | Major |
| R v Russell, [1997] 1 S.C.R. 356 | February 21, 1997 | February 21, 1997 | | | | | | | | | V |
| Toronto (City of) Board of Education v Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation, District 15, [1997] 1 S.C.R. 487 | November 6, 1996 | February 27, 1997 | | | | | | | | | |
| Royal Bank of Canada v Sparrow Electric Corp, [1997] 1 S.C.R. 411 | June 19, 1996 | February 27, 1997 | | | | | | | | | |
| Benner v Canada (Secretary of State), [1997] 1 S.C.R. 358 | October 1, 1996 | February 27, 1997 | | | | | | | | | |
| R v Halnuck, [1997] 1 S.C.R. 533 | March 19, 1997 | March 19, 1997 | V | | | | | | | | |
| R v Stillman, [1997] 1 S.C.R. 607 | January 26, 1996 November 7, 1996 | March 20, 1997 | | | 1 | | 2 | | 3 | | |
| R v Melnichuk, [1997] 1 S.C.R. 602 | March 17, 1997 | March 20, 1997 | | | | | | | | | |
| R v Haroun, [1997] 1 S.C.R. 593 | January 24, 1997 | March 20, 1997 | | | | | | | | | |
| R v Curragh Inc, [1997] 1 S.C.R. 537 | November 26, 1996 | March 20, 1997 | | | | | | | | | |
| R v Buric, [1997] 1 S.C.R. 535 | March 20, 1997 | March 20, 1997 | | | | V | | | | | |
| Case name | Argued | Decided | Lamer | La Forest | L'Heureux‑ Dubé | Sopinka | Gonthier | Cory | McLachlin | Iacobucci | Major |
| Canada (Director of Investigation and Research) v Southam Inc, [1997] 1 S.C.R. 748 | November 25, 1996 | March 20, 1997 | | | | | | | | | |
| Farber v Royal Trust Co, [1997] 1 S.C.R. 846 | November 28, 1996 | March 27, 1997 | | | | | | | | | |
| Canadian Union of Public Employees, Local 301 v Montreal (City of), [1997] 1 S.C.R. 793 | November 5, 1996 | March 27, 1997 | | | | | | | | | |
| Germain v Montreal (City of), [1997] 1 S.C.R. 1144 | April 23, 1997 | April 23, 1997 | | V | | | | | | | |
| R v Noble, [1997] 1 S.C.R. 874 | October 29, 1996 | April 24, 1997 | 1 | 2 | | | 2 | | 3 | | |
| R v McDonnell, [1997] 1 S.C.R. 948 | December 6, 1996 | April 24, 1997 | | | | | | | | | |
| R v Cook, [1997] 1 S.C.R. 1113 | February 20, 1997 | April 24, 1997 | | | | | | | | | |
| Pointe-Claire (City of) v Quebec (Labour Court), [1997] 1 S.C.R. 1015 | November 6, 1996 | April 24, 1997 | | | | | | | | | |
| Hamstra (Guardian ad litem of) v British Columbia Rugby Union, [1997] 1 S.C.R. 1092 | January 23, 1997 | April 24, 1997 | | | | | | | | | |
| R v Coreas, [1997] 1 S.C.R. 1147 | April 25, 1997 | April 25, 1997 | V | | | | | | | | |
| Case name | Argued | Decided | Lamer | La Forest | L'Heureux‑ Dubé | Sopinka | Gonthier | Cory | McLachlin | Iacobucci | Major |
| Brkich & Brkich Enterprises Ltd v American Home Assurance Co, [1997] 1 S.C.R. 1149 | April 28, 1997 | April 28, 1997 | | V | | | | | | | |
| R v Doliente, [1997] 2 S.C.R. 11 | May 20, 1997 | May 20, 1997 | | | | V | | | | | |
| Soulos v Korkontzilas, [1997] 2 S.C.R. 217 | February 18, 1997 | May 22, 1997 | | | | | | | | | |
| R v Feeney, [1997] 2 S.C.R. 13 | June 11, 1996 | May 22, 1997 | 2 | | 1 | | 1 | | 1 | | |
| R v Currie, [1997] 2 S.C.R. 260 | January 31, 1997 | May 22, 1997 | | | | | | | | | |
| Opetchesaht Indian Band v Canada, [1997] 2 S.C.R. 119 | October 28, 1996 | May 22, 1997 | | | | | | | | | |
| Hercules Managements Ltd v Ernst & Young, [1997] 2 S.C.R. 165 | December 6, 1996 | May 22, 1997 | | | | | | | | | |
| R v Senior, [1997] 2 S.C.R. 288 | May 23, 1997 | May 23, 1997 | V | | | | | | | | |
| Martin v Artyork Investments Ltd, [1997] 2 S.C.R. 290 | May 26, 1997 | May 26, 1997 | | | | | | | | V | |
| R v Bedford, [1997] 2 S.C.R. 292 | May 27, 1997 | May 27, 1997 | | | | V | | | | | |
| Case name | Argued | Decided | Lamer | La Forest | L'Heureux‑ Dubé | Sopinka | Gonthier | Cory | McLachlin | Iacobucci | Major |
| United States of America v Desfossés, [1997] 2 S.C.R. 326 | April 21, 1997 | May 29, 1997 | | | | | | | | | |
| Sylvester v British Columbia, [1997] 2 S.C.R. 315 | February 13, 1997 | May 29, 1997 | | | | | | | | | |
| Construction Gilles Paquette ltée v Entreprises Végo ltée, [1997] 2 S.C.R. 299 | February 12, 1997 | May 29, 1997 | | | | | | | | | |
| Canada Post Corp v Canadian Union of Postal Workers, [1997] 2 S.C.R. 294 | February 12, 1997 | May 29, 1997 | | | | | | | | | |
| R v Jack, [1997] 2 S.C.R. 334 | June 20, 1997 | June 20, 1997 | V | | | | | | | | |
| R v Allender, [1997] 2 S.C.R. 333 | June 20, 1997 | June 20, 1997 | V/R | | | | | | | | |
| United States of America v Dynar, [1997] 2 S.C.R. 462 | January 28, 1997 | June 26, 1997 | | | | | | | | | |
| St Mary's Indian Band v Cranbrook (City of), [1997] 2 S.C.R. 657 | June 26, 1997 | June 26, 1997 | | | | | | | | | |
| R v Mara, [1997] 2 S.C.R. 630 | March 12, 1997 | June 26, 1997 | | | | | | | | | |
| R v La, [1997] 2 S.C.R. 680 | March 13, 1997 | June 26, 1997 | | | | | | | | | |
| Case name | Argued | Decided | Lamer | La Forest | L'Heureux‑ Dubé | Sopinka | Gonthier | Cory | McLachlin | Iacobucci | Major |
| Hickman Motors Ltd v Canada, [1997] 2 S.C.R. 336 | October 30, 1996 | June 26, 1997 | | | | | | | | | |
| Dagg v Canada (Minister of Finance), [1997] 2 S.C.R. 403 | January 22, 1997 | June 26, 1997 | | | | | | | | | |
| Arndt v Smith, [1997] 2 S.C.R. 539 | January 29, 1997 | June 26, 1997 | | | | | | | | | |
| Armada Lines Ltd v Chaleur Fertilizers Ltd, [1997] 2 S.C.R. 617 | March 11, 1997 | June 26, 1997 | | | | | | | | | |
| Air Canada v Ontario (Liquor Control Board), [1997] 2 S.C.R. 581 | February 17, 1997 | June 26, 1997 | | | | | | | | | |
| Côté v Canada (Director of Investigation and Research), [1997] 2 S.C.R. 714 | June 27, 1997 | June 27, 1997 | V | | | | | | | | |
| R v Greyeyes, [1997] 2 S.C.R. 825 | April 29, 1997 | July 10, 1997 | | | | | | | | | |
| R v G(SG), [1997] 2 S.C.R. 716 | March 17, 1997 | July 10, 1997 | | | | | | | | | |
| R v Esau, [1997] 2 S.C.R. 777 | March 18, 1997 | July 10, 1997 | | | 1 | | | | 2 | | |
| R v Cogger, [1997] 2 S.C.R. 845 | May 26, 1997 | July 10, 1997 | | | | | | | | | |
| Case name | Argued | Decided | Lamer | La Forest | L'Heureux‑ Dubé | Sopinka | Gonthier | Cory | McLachlin | Iacobucci | Major |
| Doré v Verdun (City of), [1997] 2 S.C.R. 862 | January 27, 1997 | July 10, 1997 | | | | | | | | | |
| Pasiechnyk v Saskatchewan (Workers' Compensation Board), [1997] 2 S.C.R. 890 | April 30, 1997 | August 28, 1997 | | | | | | | | | |
| Reference Re Remuneration of Judges of the Provincial Court of Prince Edward Island; Reference Re Independence and Impartiality of Judges of the Provincial Court of Prince Edward Island, [1997] 3 S.C.R. 3 | December 3, 4, 1996 | September 18, 1997 | | | | | | | | | |
| R v Lifchus, [1997] 3 S.C.R. 320 | May 29, 1997 | September 18, 1997 | | | | | | | | | |
| R v Hydro-Québec, [1997] 3 S.C.R. 213 | February 10, 1997 | September 18, 1997 | | | | | | | | | |
| St Mary's Indian Band v Cranbrook (City of), [1997] 2 S.C.R. 678 | February 19, 1997 | September 23, 1997 | | | | | | | | | |
| R v Belnavis, [1997] 3 S.C.R. 341 | May 27, 1997 | September 25, 1997 | | | | | | | | | |
| Canada (Minister of Citizenship and Immigration) v Tobiass, [1997] 3 S.C.R. 391 | June 26, 1997 | September 25, 1997 | | | | | | | | | |
| R v S(RD), [1997] 3 S.C.R. 484 | March 10, 1997 | September 26, 1997 | | | 2 | | 1 | | 2 | | |
| Peixeiro v Haberman, [1997] 3 S.C.R. 549 | March 13, 1997 | September 26, 1997 | | | | | | | | | |
| Case name | Argued | Decided | Lamer | La Forest | L'Heureux‑ Dubé | Sopinka | Gonthier | Cory | McLachlin | Iacobucci | Major |
| Canada (AG) v Canada (Commission of Inquiry on the Blood System), [1997] 3 S.C.R. 440 | June 25, 1997 | September 26, 1997 | | | | | | | | | |
| Libman v Quebec (AG), [1997] 3 S.C.R. 569 | April 22, 1997 | October 9, 1997 | | | | | | | | | |
| Eldridge v British Columbia (AG), [1997] 3 S.C.R. 624 | April 24, 1997 | October 9, 1997 | | | | | | | | | |
| R v Solomon, [1997] 3 S.C.R. 696 | October 10, 1997 | October 10, 1997 | | | | | | | | V | |
| R v Lawes, [1997] 3 S.C.R. 694 | October 10, 1997 | October 10, 1997 | | | | | | V | | | |
| R v Ly, [1997] 3 S.C.R. 698 | October 17, 1997 | October 17, 1997 | | | | | | | V | | |
| R v Allen, [1997] 3 S.C.R. 700 | October 17, 1997 | October 17, 1997 | | | | V | | | | | |
| Wallace v United Grain Growers Ltd, [1997] 3 S.C.R. 701 | May 22, 1997 | October 30, 1997 | | | | | | | | | |
| Gold v Rosenberg, [1997] 3 S.C.R. 767 | May 11, 1997 | October 30, 1997 | | | | | | | | | |
| Citadel General Assurance Co v Lloyds Bank Canada, [1997] 3 S.C.R. 805 | May 20, 1997 | October 30, 1997 | | | | | | | | | |
| Case name | Argued | Decided | Lamer | La Forest | L'Heureux‑ Dubé | Sopinka | Gonthier | Cory | McLachlin | Iacobucci | Major |
| Winnipeg Child and Family Services (Northwest Area) v G(DF), [1997] 3 S.C.R. 925 | June 18, 1997 | October 31, 1997 | | | | | | | | | |
| Godbout v Longueuil (City of), [1997] 3 S.C.R. 844 | May 28, 1997 | October 31, 1997 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | | | 2 | | 1 |
| R v Skalbania, [1997] 3 S.C.R. 995 | November 6, 1997 | November 6, 1997 | | | | | | | V | | |
| S(L) v S(C), [1997] 3 S.C.R. 1003 | November 7, 1997 | November 7, 1997 | | | V | | | | | | |
| R v Labrecque, [1997] 3 S.C.R. 1001 | November 7, 1997 | November 7, 1997 | | | V | | | | | | |
| R v Bablitz, [1997] 3 S.C.R. 1005 | November 14, 1997 | November 14, 1997 | | | V | | | | | | |
| R v Charland, [1997] 3 S.C.R. 1006 | December 4, 1997 | December 4, 1997 | | | | | | | | | |
| Mochinski v Trendline Industries Ltd, [1997] 3 S.C.R. 1176 | October 7, 1997 | December 11, 1997 | | | | | | | | | |
| Lewis (Guardian ad litem of) v British Columbia, [1997] 3 S.C.R. 1145 | October 7, 1997 | December 11, 1997 | | | | | | | | | |
| Delgamuukw v British Columbia, [1997] 3 S.C.R. 1010 | June 16, 17, 1997 | December 11, 1997 | | 1 | | | | | 2 | | |
| Case name | Argued | Decided | Lamer | La Forest | L'Heureux‑ Dubé | Sopinka | Gonthier | Cory | McLachlin | Iacobucci | Major |
| R v F(CC), [1997] 3 S.C.R. 1183 | October 16, 1997 | December 18, 1997 | | | | | | | | | |
| Porto Seguro Companhia de Seguros Gerais v Belcan SA, [1997] 3 S.C.R. 1278 | October 14, 1997 | December 18, 1997 | | | | | | | | | |
| Bow Valley Husky (Bermuda) Ltd v Saint John Shipbuilding Ltd, [1997] 3 S.C.R. 1210 | June 19, 1997 | December 18, 1997 | | | | | | | | | |