Starting Tuesday, after opening statements on Monday, the Supreme Court is scheduled to hear three days of legal arguments on Bill 21. Ontario, Alberta, British Columbia and Saskatchewan have intervened to support Quebec’s position: that its use of the notwithstanding clause prevents courts from even hearing a Charter challenge against Bill 21. Forty rights advocacy groups — a who’s who of the Court Party, almost all of whom receive funding from Ottawa — have intervened to support the federal government’s position: that the notwithstanding clause cannot be used pre-emptively to prevent courts from ruling on the constitutional validity of Bill 21.







