Canadian Citizenship Rights and Responsibilities

Canadian Rights and Responsibilities

• Canadian citizens have rights and responsibilities that come from their history, secured by Canadian law, and reflect their shared traditions, identity, and values.

Sources of Canadian Law

• Laws passed by Parliament and the provincial legislatures
• English common law
• The civil code of France
• The unwritten constitution inherited from Great Britain

Traditions of Ordered Liberty

• Dates back to the signing of Magna Carta in 1215 in England
• Includes:
  • Freedom of conscience and religion
  • Freedom of thought, belief, opinion, and expression (including freedom of speech and of the press)
  • Freedom of peaceful assembly
  • Freedom of association
  • Habeas corpus (right to challenge unlawful detention by the state)

The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms

• Entrenched in the Constitution of Canada in 1982
• Begins with the phrase "Whereas Canada is founded upon principles that recognize the supremacy of God and the rule of law"
• Includes:
  • Mobility Rights (Canadians can live and work anywhere in Canada, enter and leave the country freely, and apply for a passport)
  • Aboriginal Peoples’ Rights (rights guaranteed in the Charter will not adversely affect treaty or other rights or freedoms of Aboriginal peoples)
  • Official Language Rights and Minority Language Educational Rights (French and English have equal status in Parliament and throughout the government)
  • Multiculturalism (a fundamental characteristic of the Canadian heritage and identity)
  • Equality of Women and Men (men and women are equal under the law)

Citizenship Responsibilities

• Obeying the law (one of Canada’s founding principles is the rule of law)
• Taking responsibility for oneself and one’s family
• Serving on a jury (when called to do so, you are legally required to serve)
• Voting in elections (the right to vote comes with a responsibility to vote in federal, provincial or territorial, and local elections)
• Helping others in the community (volunteering is an excellent way to gain useful skills and develop friends and contacts)
• Protecting and enjoying our heritage and environment (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 (no compulsory military service)

This quiz covers the rights and responsibilities of Canadian citizens, their sources in Canadian law, and the country's shared traditions and values. Learn about the history and legislation that shape Canada's identity. Test your knowledge of Canadian citizenship!