John Diefenbaker and the Canadian Bill of Rights
John Diefenbaker was the thirteenth Prime minister of Canada. He was elected in 1957, forming the Progressive Conservative Government, and from the beginning of his campaign, he made it a promise that he would create a Bill of Rights for Canada. He was a very progressive Prime Minister who believed in equality and fairness, “Diefenbaker brought diversity into government- he appointed the first woman to a cabinet post and the first Aboriginal person to the Senate.” (Canadian Decades 1960, p. 20) Citizens of Canada appreciated his dedication, and his commitment both to the Bill of Rights and to Canada deserves recognition. There was reasons that Canada needed a Bill of Rights. In World War II, …show more content…
This helped to establish rights for women and people of color, ending discriminatory immigration policies and unfair prejudice in the workplace. Mr. Diefenbaker believed that no one should face prejudice or bias because of the color of their skin, their gender, or the religion they chose to follow. The creation of the Bill of Rights was important for Canada because it educated Canadians on their rights in the law. This is crucial information because it does not allow people in roles of leadership to abuse their power. The Bill of Rights gave many new freedoms to Canadians, some of which were:
“Freedom of speech, the right state an opinion without being afraid of government or law. Freedom of assembly and association, the right to hold meeting, parades and join clubs. Freedom of religion, the right to worship as you please. Freedom of the press, the right to publish opinions without fear of the government or law, and the right of the individual to equality before law, the right to a fair trial, legal counsel, and protection against unfair imprisonment”. (Spotlight Canada, p. …show more content…
It supplied Canadians with a list of their rights and freedoms in the law, and provided equality to those who did not have the same privileges as others. The Bill of Rights was “the first attempt to codify rights and freedoms across Canada… The Canadian Bill of Rights recognized the rights of individuals to life, liberty, personal security and the enjoyment of property”. (Law in Action; Understanding Canadian Law, p. 77) This helped in the development of an identity for Canada, because Canada is widely known as a country of polite, nice people, and with the end of racist and unjust immigration policies and behaviours in Canada, this helped the country gain the title of one of the nicest countries in the world. It also helped in the development of citizenship because citizenship is by definition, “the qualities that a person is expected to have as a responsible member of a community”. (Merriam-Webster Learner’s Dictionary) Being a responsible member of a community means to be fair and just, and it is not fair to judge or set limits for someone because of their gender or the color of their skin. The Bill of Rights helped in the establishing of a sense of identity and citizenship in
John Diefenbaker was the thirteenth Prime minister of Canada. He was elected in 1957, forming the Progressive Conservative Government, and from the beginning of his campaign, he made it a promise that he would create a Bill of Rights for Canada. He was a very progressive Prime Minister who believed in equality and fairness, “Diefenbaker brought diversity into government- he appointed the first woman to a cabinet post and the first Aboriginal person to the Senate.” (Canadian Decades 1960, p. 20) Citizens of Canada appreciated his dedication, and his commitment both to the Bill of Rights and to Canada deserves recognition. There was reasons that Canada needed a Bill of Rights. In World War II, …show more content…
This helped to establish rights for women and people of color, ending discriminatory immigration policies and unfair prejudice in the workplace. Mr. Diefenbaker believed that no one should face prejudice or bias because of the color of their skin, their gender, or the religion they chose to follow. The creation of the Bill of Rights was important for Canada because it educated Canadians on their rights in the law. This is crucial information because it does not allow people in roles of leadership to abuse their power. The Bill of Rights gave many new freedoms to Canadians, some of which were:
“Freedom of speech, the right state an opinion without being afraid of government or law. Freedom of assembly and association, the right to hold meeting, parades and join clubs. Freedom of religion, the right to worship as you please. Freedom of the press, the right to publish opinions without fear of the government or law, and the right of the individual to equality before law, the right to a fair trial, legal counsel, and protection against unfair imprisonment”. (Spotlight Canada, p. …show more content…
It supplied Canadians with a list of their rights and freedoms in the law, and provided equality to those who did not have the same privileges as others. The Bill of Rights was “the first attempt to codify rights and freedoms across Canada… The Canadian Bill of Rights recognized the rights of individuals to life, liberty, personal security and the enjoyment of property”. (Law in Action; Understanding Canadian Law, p. 77) This helped in the development of an identity for Canada, because Canada is widely known as a country of polite, nice people, and with the end of racist and unjust immigration policies and behaviours in Canada, this helped the country gain the title of one of the nicest countries in the world. It also helped in the development of citizenship because citizenship is by definition, “the qualities that a person is expected to have as a responsible member of a community”. (Merriam-Webster Learner’s Dictionary) Being a responsible member of a community means to be fair and just, and it is not fair to judge or set limits for someone because of their gender or the color of their skin. The Bill of Rights helped in the establishing of a sense of identity and citizenship in