Rights and Rights and Responsibilities Responsibilities

We have both!!We have both!!

Think about this…Think about this…

What would your life be like if you didn’t What would your life be like if you didn’t have a choice in what events and activities have a choice in what events and activities you took part in with others?you took part in with others?

What rights and freedoms do you expect What rights and freedoms do you expect to have as a citizen in Canada?to have as a citizen in Canada?

When is it okay for laws to restrict When is it okay for laws to restrict people’s choices?people’s choices?

What’s the connection between having the What’s the connection between having the right to be represented in government and right to be represented in government and your identity?your identity?

Canada’s Charter of Rights & Canada’s Charter of Rights & Freedoms – what is it?Freedoms – what is it?

1) It gives individual rights and 1) It gives individual rights and freedoms to Canadian citizens freedoms to Canadian citizens

2) It gives collective rights and 2) It gives collective rights and freedoms to groups in society.freedoms to groups in society.

Dates from 1982Dates from 1982 Part of Canada’s constitution – which is the Part of Canada’s constitution – which is the

highest law of Canada, all other laws must highest law of Canada, all other laws must be consistent with it.be consistent with it.

Prior to the Charter of Rights and Prior to the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, the provincial and federal Freedoms, the provincial and federal governments had a variety of laws governments had a variety of laws about individual rights. about individual rights.

So why do we have the Charter…So why do we have the Charter…

Now that the Charter exists:

It creates constitutional protection for It creates constitutional protection for individual rights and freedoms, individual rights and freedoms, applying to all governments across applying to all governments across Canada.Canada.

Canadians can challenge in court the Canadians can challenge in court the laws that restrict their rights.laws that restrict their rights.

Canada’s government is justified in Canada’s government is justified in restricting rights, if it is necessary to restricting rights, if it is necessary to maintain Canada as a free and maintain Canada as a free and democratic country.democratic country.

The CharterThe Charter

Application Application ::

- states that it applies to all - states that it applies to all levels of governmentlevels of government

LimitationsLimitations::- Not all rights are absolute subject - Not all rights are absolute subject

to reasonable limitationsto reasonable limitations

YOUR INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS…YOUR INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS…(as stated by the Charter)(as stated by the Charter)

Fundamental freedomsFundamental freedoms Freedom to express your opinionsFreedom to express your opinions (“I think it’s stupid that I can’t listen to my IPOD in (“I think it’s stupid that I can’t listen to my IPOD in

class.”)class.”) Freedom to choose your own religionFreedom to choose your own religion Freedom to organize peaceful meetings Freedom to organize peaceful meetings

and demonstrationsand demonstrations (protests on Parliament (protests on Parliament Hill)Hill)

Freedom to associate with any person or Freedom to associate with any person or groupgroup..

Democratic RightsDemocratic Rights

The right to vote for members of the The right to vote for members of the House of Commons and of provincial House of Commons and of provincial legislatureslegislatures

The right to vote for a new The right to vote for a new government at least every five years.government at least every five years.

Mobility RightsMobility Rights

The right to move anywhere within The right to move anywhere within Canada and to earn a living there.Canada and to earn a living there.

The right to enter, stay in, or leave The right to enter, stay in, or leave Canada.Canada.

Legal RightsLegal Rights

The right to be free of imprisonment, The right to be free of imprisonment, search and seizure without reasons search and seizure without reasons backed by law or evidence.backed by law or evidence.

The right to a fair and quick public The right to a fair and quick public trial by an impartial court that trial by an impartial court that assumes that you are innocent until assumes that you are innocent until proven guilty.proven guilty.

Equality RightsEquality Rights

The right to be free of discrimination The right to be free of discrimination because of race, national or ethic because of race, national or ethic origin, religion, gender, age or origin, religion, gender, age or mental or physical disability.mental or physical disability.

Official Language rightsOfficial Language rights

French and English are the two French and English are the two official languages in Canadaofficial languages in Canada

- implications of this: All the laws - implications of this: All the laws made are in French and English in all made are in French and English in all the institutions of government. the institutions of government. (Federal courts, House of Commons, etc)(Federal courts, House of Commons, etc)

Minority Language Education Minority Language Education RightsRights

People whose first language learned and People whose first language learned and still understood (French or English) is the still understood (French or English) is the minority in the province they live inminority in the province they live in

People who have received their primary People who have received their primary school instruction in French or English and school instruction in French or English and that language is the minority of the that language is the minority of the provinceprovince

AND people who have received their AND people who have received their primary or secondary education in French or primary or secondary education in French or English English

HAVE the RIGHTHAVE the RIGHT to have all their children to have all their children receive primary and secondary education in receive primary and secondary education in the same language.the same language.

EnforcementEnforcement

Anyone whose rights or freedoms, as Anyone whose rights or freedoms, as guaranteed by the Charter have guaranteed by the Charter have been infringed or denied may seek been infringed or denied may seek the court of law to obtain any the court of law to obtain any remedy the court considers remedy the court considers appropriate or just.appropriate or just.

But rights come with But rights come with responsibilities…responsibilities…

Citizenship ResponsibilitiesCitizenship Responsibilities

Obeying the lawObeying the law — One of Canada’s — One of Canada’s founding principles is the rule of law. founding principles is the rule of law. Individuals and governments are regulated Individuals and governments are regulated by laws and not by arbitrary actions. No by laws and not by arbitrary actions. No person or group is above the law.person or group is above the law.

Taking responsibility for oneself and Taking responsibility for oneself and one’s familyone’s family — Getting a job, taking care — Getting a job, taking care of one’s family and working hard in keeping of one’s family and working hard in keeping with one’s abilities are important Canadian with one’s abilities are important Canadian values. Work contributes to personal dignity values. Work contributes to personal dignity and self-respect, and to Canada’s and self-respect, and to Canada’s prosperity.prosperity.

ResponsibilitiesResponsibilities

Serving on a juryServing on a jury — When called to — When called to do so, you are legally required to do so, you are legally required to serve. Serving on a jury is a privilege serve. Serving on a jury is a privilege that makes the justice system work that makes the justice system work as it depends on impartial juries as it depends on impartial juries made up of citizens.made up of citizens.

Voting in electionsVoting in elections — The right to — The right to vote comes with a responsibility to vote comes with a responsibility to vote in federal, provincial or vote in federal, provincial or territorial and local elections.territorial and local elections.

ResponsibilitiesResponsibilities Helping others in the communityHelping others in the community — Millions of — Millions of

volunteers freely donate their time to help others volunteers freely donate their time to help others without pay—helping people in need, assisting at without pay—helping people in need, assisting at your child’s school, volunteering at a food bank or your child’s school, volunteering at a food bank or other charity, or encouraging newcomers to other charity, or encouraging newcomers to integrate. Volunteering is an excellent way to integrate. Volunteering is an excellent way to gain useful skills and develop friends and gain useful skills and develop friends and contacts.contacts.

Protecting and enjoying our heritage and Protecting and enjoying our heritage and environmentenvironment — Every citizen has a role to play — Every citizen has a role to play in avoiding waste and pollution while protecting in avoiding waste and pollution while protecting Canada’s natural, cultural and architectural Canada’s natural, cultural and architectural heritage for future generations.heritage for future generations.

Did you know?Did you know?

The Charter of Rights and Freedoms The Charter of Rights and Freedoms gives every person in Canada the gives every person in Canada the same rights, whether they are a same rights, whether they are a citizen or not!!!citizen or not!!!

2 EXCEPTIONS:2 EXCEPTIONS:

You have to be a Canadian Citizen to:You have to be a Canadian Citizen to:

1)1) Have the right to vote!Have the right to vote!

2)2) Have the right to leave Canada freelyHave the right to leave Canada freely