Rights and Responsibilities of Citizenship

Rights and Responsibilities of Canadian Citizenship

• Canadian citizens have both rights and responsibilities that are secured by Canadian law and reflect shared traditions, identity, and values.
• Canadian law has several sources, including laws passed by Parliament and provincial legislatures, English common law, the civil code of France, and the unwritten constitution inherited from Great Britain.
• Canadians have an 800-year old tradition of ordered liberty, including freedom of conscience and religion, thought, belief, opinion and expression, peaceful assembly, and association.
• Habeas corpus, the right to challenge unlawful detention by the state, comes from English common law.
• The Constitution of Canada was amended in 1982 to entrench the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms which includes fundamental freedoms, mobility rights, aboriginal peoples' rights, official language rights, minority language educational rights, and multiculturalism.
• Men and women are equal under the law in Canada, and barbaric cultural practices that tolerate spousal abuse, "honour killings," female genital mutilation, forced marriage or other gender-based violence are severely punished.
• Citizenship responsibilities in Canada include obeying the law, taking responsibility for oneself and one's family, serving on a jury, voting in elections, helping others in the community, and protecting and enjoying Canada's heritage and environment.
• Serving in the regular Canadian Forces, navy, army, and air force is a noble way to contribute to Canada and an excellent career choice, but there is no compulsory military service in Canada.
• Part-time navy, militia, and air reserves are available for service, and young people can learn discipline, responsibility, and skills by getting involved in the cadets.
• Volunteers freely donate their time to help others without pay, and volunteering is an excellent way to gain useful skills and develop friends and contacts.
• Every citizen has a role to play in avoiding waste and pollution while protecting Canada's natural, cultural, and architectural heritage for future generations.
• Defending Canada includes helping to protect your community by following in the footsteps of Canadians before you who made sacrifices in the service of the country.