Education and health are two very important issues for Canadians. They are both matters of provincial jurisdiction. The Supreme Court of Canada has heard a number of cases concerning health care, such as the Montfort Hospital case. It is thanks to the Court Challenges Program that we have Acadian schools in Nova Scotia and French-language schools in Alberta and British Columbia. These are matters that concern the everyday lives of people who belong to Canada's francophone minority communities, and it is thanks to the Court Challenges Program that these advances have been made. Indeed, without the Court Challenges Program, many communities would still not have a French-language school. We would also have lost the Montfort Hospital. Even when governments intend to comply with the Constitution, it is important to have such a program available to clarify our rights.
On June 19th, 2007. See this statement in context.