Lesbians, gay men and bisexual people have made enormous strides towards equality in Canada by relying on the guarantee of equality in the Charter of Rights, which is part of Canada's constitution, and by filing human rights complaints when they are discriminated against.

Transgendered people are following in the footsteps of lesbians and gay men, though cases by trans people have yet to reach the Supreme Court of Canada.

Following are summaries of some important recent cases; and links to the full text of the decisions:

Summaries of some of the most significant cases affecting the rights of lesbians, gay men, bisexual and transgender people, with links to the court case:

• Knights of Columbus can discriminate (politely)
• Censorship of Queer Books: Supreme Court of Canada Rules Government Discriminates against Gays and Lesbians
• Egan and Nesbit v Canada
• How Queers Gained the Guarantee of Protection from Discrimination in Canada
• If This is Not a Hate Crime, What Is?
• Kavanagh v Canada
• Lesbian CoMothers on the Birth Certificate
• Proud of Pride Days: Queers Defeat Homophobic Mayors
• Religion and Queer Rights: Printer Must Copy for Queers unless 'Core Religious Belief' is Offended
• Retroactive CPP Survivor Benefits for Same Sex Partners
• Spousal Support Rules Apply to Same Sex Relationships
• Marriage, Marriage, Marriage
• Transgendered Women have no Human Rights, Argues Rape Relief
• Transgendered Women have Human Rights in Women-Only Space
• Transgendered Women Lose Human Rights in Court Review of Human Rights Tribunal

Cases sorted by case name:

• Barbeau v Canada [2003] BCCA 406
• Egan v Canada [1995] S.C.J. No 43
• Gill and Maher, Murray and Popoff v Ministry of Health [2001] BCHRT 34
• Halpern v Canada [2003] OJ 2268
• Hendricks et Leboeuf c Canada
• Hislop v Canada [2003] O.J. 5212
• Kavanagh v Canada [2001] CHRD No 21
• Kavanagh v Canada 2003 FCT 89 [2003] FCT 89
• Little Sisters Book and Art Emporium v Canada [2000] S.C.J. No. 66
• M. v H. [1999] [1999] 2 SCR 3
• Minister of Health Planning et al v British Columbia Human Rights Tribunal [2003] BCSC 11122001 BCHRT 34
• Nixon v Rape Relief [2002] BCHRT 1
• Ontario (Human Rights Commission) v. Brillinger [2002] O.J. No. 2375
• Quentin Hughson on behalf of Okanagan Rainbow Coalition v City of Kelowna and Mayor Walter Gray [2000] CHRD 21
• R. vs J.S. [2003] B.C.J. 2877
• Rainbow Committee of Terrace v City of Terrace [2002] BCHRT 26
• Rape Relief v British Columbia Human Rights Commission and Kimberly Nixon [2000] BCSC 889
• Rape Relief v British Columbia Human Rights Tribunal and Kimberly Nixon [2003] B.C.J. 2899
• Vriend v Alberta [1998] 1 SCR 493

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