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A Question of Law: (Formal) Declarations of Invalidity and the Doctrine of Stare Decisis

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Author/contributor
Title
A Question of Law: (Formal) Declarations of Invalidity and the Doctrine of Stare Decisis
Abstract
Larticle 52 de la Loi constitutionnelle de 1982 «rend inoperantes les dispositions incompatibles de toute autre regle de droit». Deux visions diamétralement opposees concernant les effets juridiques des declarations dinvalidite prononcees en vertu de cette disposition se sont recemment affrontees. Selon la premiere approche, les declarations dinvalidite constituent des jugements in rem. Sous reserve dun appel, la declaration simpose au corpus legislatif, efface de fait la disposition en question et est opposable a tous. Selon la seconde approche, les effets dune declaration dinvalidite est regie par la regle habituelle de la stare decisis. Si lon ne doit pas prendre les decisions du meme ordre de juridiction a la legere, celles-ci nen sont pas pour autant formellement contraignantes. Dans cet article, ¡'auteur fait valoir que la theorie de la non-conformite soustendant le controle judiciaire des lois constitue un fondement permettant de conclure que les declarations d'invalidite sont similaires a d'autres decisions portant sur une loi. En vertu de cette theorie, le controle judiciaire d'une loi constitue une tache habituelle des tribunaux qui consiste a resoudre une incoherence entre des textes legislatifs. La Cour supreme a laisse entendre que sa doctrine portant sur les declarations formelles d'invalidite etait porteuse de consequences radicales. Il est difficile de concilier ces consequences avec Revolution historique du controle judiciaire au Canada ou le texte et la structure de la Constitution. La theorie de la non-conformite propose que les regles applicables aux effets juridiques des decisions portant sur les questions de droit devraient s'appliquer aux decisions portant sur un controle judiciaire : la regle habituelle de la stare decisis s'applique. Section 52 of the Constitution Act, 1982 provides that any law inconsistent with the provisions of the Constitution is, to the extent of the inconsistency, of no force or effect. Two opposing views on the legal effects of declarations of invalidity made under this provision have recently come into conflict. On the first view, declarations of invalidity are judgments in rem. Subject to an appeal a declaration binds the statute book, effectively erases the offending provision and is opposable to all. On the second view, the effects of a declaration of invalidity is governed by the ordinary rules of stare decisis. Coordinate decisions are not to be departed from lightly, but are not strictly binding. This article argues that the repugnancy theory of judicial review of legislation supports the conclusion that declarations of invalidity are similar to other determinations of law. Under this theory, the judicial review of legislation is an ordinary judicial task consisting in the resolution of a conflict between legal authorities. The Supreme Court has suggested radical consequences under its doctrine of formal declarations of invalidity. Those consequences are difficult to reconcile with the history of judicial review in Canada or the text and structure of the Constitution. The repugnancy theory suggests that the rules governing the legal effects of determinations of questions of law should govern determinations on judicial review: the ordinary rules of stare decisis govern.
Publication
National Journal of Constitutional Law
Place
Toronto, Canada
Date
Nov 2021
Volume
42
Issue
1
Pages
1-24
Accessed
3/8/26, 10:50 PM
ISSN
11819340
Short Title
A Question of Law
Language
English
Library Catalog
ProQuest
License
Copyright HAB Press Limited Nov 2021
Extra
Num Pages: 1-24
Citation
Marcotte, A. (2021). A Question of Law: (Formal) Declarations of Invalidity and the Doctrine of Stare Decisis. National Journal of Constitutional Law, 42(1), 1–24.