IDENTITY'S IMPORTANCE: REFLECTIONS OF - AND ON - DIVERSITY

Abstract

The Supreme Court plays a significant role in reflecting upon, shaping and participating in the ongoing development of our identities as members of diverse communities in Canada. One among many guiding influences in our everyday lives, the Court adopts a variety of approaches, found in both pre- and post- Charter jurisprudence, to inter-community relations and issues related to identity. A model of ongoing participation and interplay between community expectations and the Court's adjudicative responsibilities best describes the Court'spotential within a dynamic and constantly developing frame work for how we live together.