%0 Journal Article
%T Substance Without Form: The Impact of Anonymity on Equality-Seeking Groups
%A Daphne Gilbert
%J University of Ottawa Law and Technology Journal
%D 2006
%I 
%X This article examines the constructs of ¡°identity¡± and ¡°anonymity¡±¡¯ within the context of equality litigation under section 15 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. It begins with some discussion around the process for granting a litigation party¡¯s request for anonymity in civil suits. It considers the rationale for preferring that a party identify herself and argues the different considerations should apply in Charter litigation, especially under section 15. The article then examines three equality decisions: Law v. Canada (Minister of Employment and Immigration), Gosselin v. Quebec (Attorney General) and Falkiner v. Ontario (Ministry of Community and Social Services). It considers the complicated tension between the identification and anonymisation of claimants that is embedded in current equality analysis. The article concludes by arguing that if judges want to promote equality values in constitutional litigation, much more attention must be paid to the unique identifying features of equality claimants. *************** Cet article examine les interpr¨¦tations des termes   identit¨¦   et   anonymat   dans le contexte du contentieux mettant en cause la protection de l¡¯¨¦galit¨¦ pr¨¦vue ¨¤ l¡¯article 15 de la Charte canadienne des droit et libert¨¦s. L¡¯article commente d¡¯abord la proc¨¦dure suivie afin de d¨¦terminer s¡¯il y a lieu d¡¯accueillir la demande d¡¯anonymat d¡¯une partie ¨¤ un litige dans une action civile. Apr¨¨s un examen des justifications pour lesquelles on pr¨¦f¨¨re qu¡¯une partie s¡¯identifie, l¡¯auteure formule la th¨¨se que des consid¨¦rations diff¨¦rentes devraient entrer en jeu dans les affaires soulevant la Charte, en particulier l¡¯article 15. L¡¯article passe ensuite en revue trois d¨¦cisions en mati¨¨re d¡¯¨¦galit¨¦ : Law c. Canada (Ministre de l¡¯Emploi et de l¡¯Immigration), Gosselin c. Qu¨¦bec (Procureur g¨¦n¨¦ral) et Falkiner c. Ontario (Minist¨¨re des Services sociaux et communautaires). Il sonde les tensions complexes qui surgissent en mati¨¨re de l¡¯identification et de la pr¨¦servation de l¡¯anonymat des parties demanderesses dans le contexte actuel de l¡¯analyse de l¡¯¨¦galit¨¦. L¡¯article conclut que si les juges veulent promouvoir les valeurs d¡¯¨¦galit¨¦ dans le litige constitutionnel, il leur faudra pr¨ºter davantage attention aux identificateurs uniques des parties revendiquant l¡¯¨¦galit¨¦.
%K equality rights
%K Canadian constitutional law
%K identity
%K anonymity
%K section 15 Charter of Rights and Freedoms
%K individual/group membership
%K grounds of discrimination
%K litigation strategy
%K equality
%K constitutional law
%K discrimination
%K litigation
%U http://www.uoltj.ca/articles/vol3.1/2006.3.1.uoltj.Gilbert.225-247.pdf