Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union, Local 580 v Dolphin Delivery Ltd

Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union, Local 580 v Dolphin Delivery Ltd
Hearing: December 6 and 7, 1984
Judgment: December 18, 1986
Full case nameRetail, Wholesale and Department Store Union, Local 580, Al Peterson and Donna Alexander v Dolphin Delivery Limited
Citations[1986] 2 S.C.R. 573
Prior historyJudgment for defendant (British Columbia Court of Appeal)
RulingAppeal dismissed
Holding
The Charter applies to all codified law but common law only when it is the basis of government action.
Court membership
Chief Justice: Brian Dickson
Puisne Justices: Roland Ritchie, Jean Beetz, Willard Estey, William McIntyre, Julien Chouinard, Antonio Lamer, Bertha Wilson, Gerald Le Dain
Reasons given
MajorityMcIntyre, joined by Dickson, Estey, Chouinard and Le Dain
ConcurrenceWilson
ConcurrenceBeetz
Ritchie and Lamer took no part in the consideration or decision of the case.

Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union, Local 580 v Dolphin Delivery Ltd, [1986] 2 S.C.R. 573, is the seminal Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms decision that states that the Charter applies to governmental action, and to the common law except where matters are solely between private parties. Nevertheless, judges should interpret the common law in the light of the Charter.