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EVOLUTION OF RIGHTS IN CANADA. 1960 Canadian Bill of Rights Prime Minister Diefenbaker rights of individuals to life, liberty, personal security and enjoyment of property freedom of religion, speech, assembly and association freedom of the press the right to counsel and
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1960 Canadian Bill of Rights • Prime Minister Diefenbaker • rights of individuals to life, liberty, personal security and enjoyment of property • freedom of religion, speech, assembly and association • freedom of the press • the right to counsel and the right to a fair hearing
Problems with the Bill of Rights: • Federal Statute = provinces could create their own that might be different. 2) Statute = law that is not higher than other laws, so if a conflict with another law occurred then judges had to decide which law to enforce 3) Statute = M.P.’s could change or even eliminate the law if majority voted to do so
Solution: 1981/2Canadian Charter of Rights & Freedoms • Prime Minister Pierre Elliot Trudeau • Entrenches these rights into highest form of law-constitution (highest law, supersedes other statutes)
Problems with Charter: • Provinces didn’t like giving federal gov’t so much control so they demanded an ‘escape clause’ 2) Section 33 -- “notwithstanding clause,” (allows provinces to bypass or ‘override’ certain sections of the charter S.2 and S. 7-14) • Trudeau hoped that this wouldn’t be used very often and provinces that did try to do so would end up with a lot of negative publicity so not worthwhile
EXAMPLES: • Quebec Bill 101: Signs can only be in French. • Supreme Court claims this against freedom of expression. • Quebec uses “notwithstanding clause” to make new Bill 178 that allows the French only to continue (eventually French 2x larger than English).
Lets take a look at another example: • CASE DISCUSSION: P. 82Alberta Gov’t & Eugenics.