The Charter of the Rights and Freedoms

Congratulations to the students who correctly named Pierre Elliot Trudeau as the Prime Minister who was in power at the time of the Constitution Act (1982) and therefore, oversaw the writing of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms (sometimes people just call it the Charter). This document is a very important feature of our government, outlining our rights and responsibilities as Canadians. These rights are guaranteed to us, and protect us from unfair (or unconstitutional) actions of our government. It would be an excellent idea to review three rights in this document (in your Government notes), and to ponder how these rights translate into the responsibilities you must uphold as a Canadian citizen. How might our lives be different without this important document? We are so lucky to live in Canada!