In the case of Ford v Quebec, what charter right was limited?

In the case of Ford v. Quebec, the right that was limited pertains to the freedom of expression. This landmark case revolved around the constitutionality of a Quebec law that mandated that commercial signage be in French and restricted the use of other languages.

The Supreme Court ruled that this law imposed a limitation on individuals and businesses wishing to communicate in languages other than French, thereby engaging the right to freedom of expression as guaranteed under Section 2(b) of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The court found that the law's requirements inhibited the ability to express oneself freely through signage, which is a form of communication and thus protected expression under the Charter.

This outcome led to a broader understanding of how language laws interact with constitutional rights, particularly the tension between protecting a dominant culture and the rights of individuals to express themselves in minority languages. While the case did address issues relating to other rights indirectly, such as language rights, the principal focus and finding was on the freedom of expression.