Unit 2: The Development of Rights and Freedoms; Canada and the World CLU3M - Law Unit 2: The Development of Rights and Freedoms; Canada and the World

The Abolition of Slavery 19th Century Crash Course World History: Slavery clip For over 300 years, approximately 15 million people were captured in Africa and traded as slaves in Europe and North America Even after the revolutions of the 18th century slaves continued to be legally defined as “property” During the 19th century most western countries began to see the injustice in this system and abolished slavery

The Abolition of Slavery U.S.A. 19th Century American Civil War (1861-1865) Approx. 600 000 people were killed Northern / Union forces wanted to abolish slavery Southern / Confederate forces wanted to keep it 1865, The Northern forces won, and the 13th amendment to the U.S. Constitution abolished slavery forever!

The Holocaust (1933-1945) Nazi government targeted specific groups of people - Jews, the Roma (gypsies), Gays and lesbians, people with mental disabilities, members of certain religious faiths and political parties Initially stripped of their civil rights Striped of their human rights Imprisoned Executed Totaling nearly 10 million men, women and children killed

The United Nations, 1945 Established in the aftermath of WWII and the Holocaust Purpose: “to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war.” 1st step – to try to guarantee all people certain rights and freedom - Human Rights Established the UN Human Rights Commission To produce a list of human rights and freedoms for all people throughout the world Eleanor Roosevelt holding the Universal Declaration of Human Rights

Universal Declaration of Human Rights - 1948 1st time nations around the world signed a formal agreement of specific rights and freedoms Problems: Limitations of International Law? Can it be enforced? Are there still countries who don’t abide by them? Current Human Rights abuses Palestine China

Human Rights in Canada after WW2 Much Canadian law is based in British Common Law (unwritten and based on custom and earlier court decisions) Therefore, Canadians had many rights that were not written down but simply understood to exist After the rights abuses of WW2 many Canadians believed these rights needed to be written down

Human Rights in Canada after WW2 Canadian Bill of Rights PM Diefenbaker and his government passed the Canadian Bill of Rights – 1960 Set down in legislation the civil rights and freedoms that Canadians had already enjoyed under common law

Canadian Bill of Rights continued Criticisms: As federal (statute) it applied to only federal matters It was a Parliamentary statute meaning it could be changed by parliament at any time Did little to protect equality rights

Canadian Politics 1960s Pierre Elliott Trudeau “Just Society” 1968 Video clip “Just society “Just Society” 1968 “State has no place in the bedrooms of the nation” Promised greater social justice and stronger guarantees of individual rights Prime Minister (15 yrs) April 20, 1968 – June 4,1979 March 3, 1980 – June 30, 1984 Bilingualism – Official Languages Act, 1969 Law reforms: divorce, abortion, homosexuality, and birth control Equality rights for Aboriginal Canadians October Crisis, 1970

Civil vs. Human Rights What does Canada have that many countries don’t? Civil Rights (and freedoms) - limit the power that a government has over its citizens Human Rights – protect people from being unfairly discriminated against by other individuals Canadians can feel secure in almost all areas of their lives Canadians are free because laws are passed and enforced to protect their rights and freedoms Wealth, gender, race, age, belief, family status … are not supposed to determine how you are treated in Canada – equal under the law “Just Watch Me” clip Contradictions? Explain? Justify?

Trudeau – The Constitution Act, 1982 Constitution Act, 1982, including the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms Constitutional Law, not Statute law Changes must be in accordance to the amending formula (2/3 provinces = 50% of pop. of Canada) Lists civil rights and freedoms for all Canadians at all levels of government Section 24 of the Charter details the “enforcement of guaranteed rights and freedoms” Clip: Trudeau and the Charter