Constitutional Issues

Welcome to the Centre for Constitutional Studies' Current Issues web page.

This service is intended to help members of the public explore constitutional issues in some depth. The issues have been summarized by the Centre's lawyers and research students. The issues are briefed in plain English. References to each articles’ sources are provided.

 Featured Issues

• Citizenship Primer: Background and Issues
• Citizenship and the Canadian Constitution
• Securities Regulation and the Division of Powers
• Senate Term Limits: Perspectives on Reform
• The Monarchy in Canada: God Save the Queen?
• Equality Rights since 1985
• The Right to Vote
• The Charter Right to Rudimentary Shelter in Victoria: Will It Come to Other Canadian Cities?
• Omar Khadr’s Rights, Prerogative Powers and Canadian Diplomacy after the Supreme Court Decision
• Prorogation Protest Primer: Highlights and Must-Reads
• The Issues in Boissoin v. Lund: Expression and Discrimination under Alberta Human Rights Law   
• Senator Hugh Segal on Citizenship, Parliament and the Charter Override Taboo
• O Canada! As New Brunswick Mandates Schoolhouse Patriotism, Is Freedom of Conscience at Stake?
• Conacher v. Canada (Prime Minister): Taking the 2008 Federal Election to Court
• Vancouver Olympics Invite Further Charter Challenges
• Strange Bedfellows: The Misleading Debate over Third Party Election Financing in Alberta
• Bill S-225: Constitutional Conventions and the Notwithstanding Clause
• Abdelrazik Set to Return to Canada, as Government Retreats from Confrontation
• Democracy in Alberta: Perspectives on the Role of the Government Caucus
• B.C. Puts Religious Freedom and Polygamy to the Test 
• The Governor General's Decision to Prorogue Parliament: A Dangerous Precedent
• The Oilpatch and Federalism
• Youth Criminal Justice
• Water Law and Federalism
• Minority Language Rights
• Section 7: Selected Issues
• Canada's "Tradition" of Internment

See also:

• Headline Reviews 
• Featured Court Rulings

1.  The Charter of Rights and Freedoms

The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms

 Section I

• Rights in Canada
• Section 1 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms

 Equality Rights

• History
• Section 15  
• Section 28
• Civil Marriage Act
  • Bill C-38 
  • Same-sex marriage 
  • Gay & Lesbian Rights / sexual orientation 
• Judgments
  • Persons with disabilities -- medical care -- law and legislation

 Fundamental Freedoms

• Freedom of Religion
  • History
  • Section 2 (a)
• Freedom of Expression
  • History
  • Fair Trial Rights
    • Freedom of the Press
      • self-censorship
      • government policy -- Prime Minister Harper
      • publishing -- defamation
      • internet -- defamation
    • In the news
      • East Coast Seal Hunt -- March 2007
      • Adult Entertainment Association of Canada v. Ottawa (City) -- May 2007
      • Tobacco Advertising Re-visited -- June 2007
      • Sex-Party v. Canada Post -- February 2008

Legal Rights

• Section 7
  • Life, Liberty and Securiy of the Person

Aboriginal Rights

• History
• Charter of Rights and Freedoms
  • Section 25
• Constitution Act, 1982
  • Section 35
    • equitable distibution of marital property
    • land claims -- Caledonia, Ontario

Democratic Governance

• History
  • evacuation and relocation of civilians
• Electoral Reform
• Ethics, responsibility,and accountability
  • in government institutions
  • party discipline
• Judicial appointments
• Senate
  • background
  • reform -- 2008

 Security

• History
• Immigration and Refugee Protection Act
  • Security Certificates
• Senate Reports
  • 2007
• US-Canada Relations
• US-Canada border
  • Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI)
• USA PATRIOT Act & Canada
  • effect on Canadians / (update)
     

 2. The Constitution Act, 1867

The Constitution Act, 1867