Chapter 7 Objectives for Student Learning

After reading this chapter, students should be able to:

• List and briefly describe the categories of rights and freedoms found in the Charter.
• Explain the status and enforcement of rights in Canada before the Charter’s passage.
• Distinguish between the Canadian Bill of Rights and the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
• Describe the difference between the pre- and post-Charter Canadian politics
• Briefly summarize the significance of the “reasonable limits” and “notwithstanding” clauses of the charter.
• Explain the issue of reasonable limits and the two-part Oakes test
• Identify and explain the significance of several major Charter rulings.
• Discuss the impact of the Charter on any three of the following: individual rights, equality, obscenity, abortion, tobacco advertising, private-sector relationships, union activities, or judicial activism.
• Describe the argument that the Charter has led to the “Americanization” of Canadian politics.