1. 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

2. 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

3. The Abolition of Slavery U.S.A. 19th Century
American Civil War ( )
Approx 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!

4. The Holocaust ( )
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

5. 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

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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

9. 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

10. 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

11. 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?

12. 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