April 17, 2002

8:43 PM

Today is the 20th anniversary of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The CBC discusses the history briefly here; more importantly, how has the Charter affected Canadians? Are we better off for waiting 115 years? Or will it have any lasting, practical effect after all?
posted by Nyx (4 comments total)

[I realize that this is the anniversary of the patriation of the Charter - same difference.]
posted by Nyx at 8:46 PM on April 17, 2002

I think that, on the whole, it's helped guarantee our freedoms. It's prevented our government from being too socially conservative.
posted by five fresh fish at 9:16 PM on April 17, 2002

The Charter has been terribly good for Canadians on an individual level. It made the courts a true check against what can be the madness of the tyranny of the majority.

Hardcore social conservatives seethe and foam at the mouth at the mention of the Charter, mostly because their pet causes infringe on human rights and freedoms.
posted by will at 10:46 PM on April 17, 2002

I remember the short, intense fight that erupted when the Gov't initially said that there didn't need to be any protection against discrimination based on sex (i.e. gender) written into the Charter--a few weeks later it was unanimously decided that the provision should be included after all. Are the Americans still waiting for the Equal Rights Amendment? I'm not asking to be irritating, I'm genuinely wondering.
posted by jokeefe at 11:58 PM on April 17, 2002