Topic – The Charter of Rights and Freedoms

The Charter of Rights and Freedoms

Did you know the purpose of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms is to protect Canadians from unfair government actions? The Charter of Rights and Freedoms is an important document found inside Canada’s Constitution Act, 1982.

The Charter of Rights and Freedoms

Canadians are very lucky because they can do certain things in everyday life without government intervention. Some of the rights guaranteed for Canadians include the following:

• The right to vote in an election once they are old enough (people can vote for a candidate of their choice who is running for office)

• The right to run for elected office (people can enter a race to become an elected official)

• The right to have freedom of thought, belief, opinion, and expression (people can think, believe, and say whatever they want, as long as it doesn’t harm individuals or groups)

• The right to freedom of religion (people can belong to any religion they choose, or not belong to any religion)

• The right of freedom of association (people can belong to any group or organization they choose)

• The right of movement (people can travel throughout Canada and move where they want)

• The right to have a fair trial if arrested or accused of a crime

• The right to be treated equally under the law (people are all treated the same no matter who they are)

• The right to gather peacefully (people can gather in groups and participate in protests as long as they are peaceful and nonviolent)

Now, show what you know!

Complete some questions about the reading selection by clicking “Begin Questions” below.