Fonds MsC-103 - Little Sisters Book & Art Emporium v. Canada fonds

Joseph Arvay, QC, is a Canadian lawyer who has argued numerous landmark cases involving civil liberties and constitutional rights.

Little Sister’s Book & Art Emporium is a bookstore located on Davie Street in Vancouver, serving adult (gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender) communities. Little Sister’s was bombed three times in the years when it was the only gay and lesbian bookstore in western Canada. More recently, Little Sisters was involved legal battle against censorship and discrimination that made it to the Supreme Court Of Canada; the bookstore challenged the provision of the Customs Act prohibiting the importation of obscene material as well as a section of the Act that put the onus on the importer to disprove obscenity. This case broadened and redefined the definitions of obscenity and tolerance in contemporary Canadian society. In 1998, Little Sisters was presented the Award For The Advancement of Intellectual Freedom in Canada presented by the Canadian Library Association.