A.G. of Canada vs. Lavell - Isaac vs Bedard

It is without doubt that the cases presented by Lavell and Bedard paved the way for debate over the issue of Native women's rights, as some years later they would inspire Sandra Lovelace. Lovelace was another Native woman stripped of her status by marrying a non-Indian male. Instead of taking the case back to the Supreme Court of Canada, Lovelace took it to the United Nations International Human Rights Commission where she would successfully have the act repealed in 1985. The cases also bring to light the fact that acts can exist in opposition of the Canadian Bill of Rights and be left un-repealed due to political technicalities, in this case protection in light of the British North America Act. Unfortunately, even in a society as sophisticated as our own, discrimination on the basis of race and gender still exists. Although no longer present in any parliamentary documents, it's become the role of the Federal Government to try and snuff it out in society. Jeannette Vivian Corbiere Lavell and Yvonne Berard have paved the way for great changes to be made regarding the social well being and political protection of Native women.…