H I S T O R Y O F

H U M A N R I G H T S I N C A N A D A

Chapter 5 - Summary

TRUE OR FALSE

For each of the following statements, please move to

the side you believe is correct

TRUE OR FALSE

<True False>

Canadians should be proud of their Nation’s track record in the area of human rights

TRUE OR FALSE

<True False>

The federal government sold property owned by Canadian

citizens who were being detained under the War Measures Act–without

charges having been laid against them.

TRUE OR FALSE

<True False>

There was at one point in time a campaign to identify

and expel suspected homosexuals from

government

TRUE OR FALSE

<True False>

Canada granted women the right to vote and be members

of government.

TRUE OR FALSE

<True False>

Until 1923, the Canadian government had a law that fined Chinese people for

being Chinese and entering Canada.

TRUE OR FALSE

<True False>

For most of the 20th century, the Canadian Government forcibly

removed aboriginal children from their homes and made them live in

residential schools until the age of 18, often facing physical, emotional and sexual abuse at the hands of their

caretakers.

TRUE OR FALSE

<True False>

From 1950 until 1983 Canada had a secret program to detain people suspected of being a communist with no

trial.

TRUE OR FALSE

<True False>

The United Nations has condemned the province of

Ontario for running a separate government

supported school system for Catholic students.

TRUE OR FALSE

<True False>

Canada saved fewer Jewish people through the refugee

process than any other Western power during the

holocaust.

TRUE OR FALSE

<True False>

Canada should be proud of their track record in the area

of human rights

PARTIAL T IMELINE OF HUMAN RIGHTS IN CANADA

1763 Indian nations declared self governing

by King George III

1832 Lower Canada Bill of Rights accorded

rights and privileges to persons of the Jewish

religion

1858 Anti Slavery Society formed in Toronto.

Mary Ann Shadd first Black journalist in NA

PARTIAL T IMELINE OF HUMAN RIGHTS IN CANADA

1861 first residential school for aboriginals is

established

1875 first woman in the British Empire

graduated with university degree, Mt. Allison

1876 Indian Act passed by Parliament • “wards of the Crown”• Looked after and Protected” by Crown

PARTIAL T IMELINE OF HUMAN RIGHTS IN CANADA

1885 head tax imposed on immigrants from China

1894 Toronto’s first Black city councilor

1916 Women in Manitoba granted the right to vote

and hold office

1919 Immigration policy differentiated between

“preferred” and “non preferred” countries of origin

PARTIAL T IMELINE OF HUMAN RIGHTS IN CANADA

1929 SCC decided women are not “persons”; no

Senate appointments. Overturned by British Privy

Council

1930 people of Chinese origin / ancestry allowed to

buy property outside Chinatown, Vancouver

1933-49 Canada accepted fewer Jewish refugees

than any other Western country (5000)

PARTIAL T IMELINE OF HUMAN RIGHTS IN CANADA

1940 SCC ruled business owners can discriminate

1942 War Measures Act used against Japanese Canadians

in response to attacks on Pearl Harbour and Hong Kong

1944 MacKenzie King admits there were no acts of

treason by Japanese Canadians

1946 nation wide protest halted deportation of Japanese

Canadians

PARTIAL T IMELINE OF HUMAN RIGHTS IN CANADA

1947 South Asian and Chinese Canadians given the

vote

1948 UDHR adopted in the United Nations

UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS

Universal rights declared:

Life, liberty, security of person

Prohibition of slavery and torture

Freedom of movement & residence within nation state

Right to marry and own property

Freedom of thought, conscience, religion, opinion and expression

Right to social security, work, fair play and a standard of living

adequate for health and well being

UDHR PROBLEM

None of this exists in Canada

What to do?

PARTIAL T IMELINE OF HUMAN RIGHTS IN CANADA

1950-1969 Government uses “fruit machine” to try and rid civil

service and RCMP of homosexuals

1950 Prominent Functionaries of the Communist Party, or PROFUNCT,

a secret government program to arrest without charge suspected

communists begins

1952 Immigration Acts prohibits:• Subversive / immoral persons• Mentally ill, epileptics, disabled• Homosexuals• Chinese, East Indian, Black immigration

1960 Canadian Bill of Rights passed – not entrenched… problem

1962 ON enacts comprehensive HR code and HR

Commission

1966 White Paper eliminated race discrimination in

immigration; 10 years more for legislation, though

1968 first Black MP; later Lt. Governor

1971 First Jewish leader of federal party

1972 first black woman in elected political office

PARTIAL T IMELINE OF HUMAN RIGHTS IN CANADA

1977 Canada Human Right’s Act adopted – again,

not entrenched

1981 man with cerebral palsy granted right to use

thumbprint as signature in banking

1982 Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms

enacted and entrenched!!!! This is a BIG deal!!!

PARTIAL T IMELINE OF HUMAN RIGHTS IN CANADA

THE CANADIAN BILL OF RIGHTS (1960)

- life, liberty, security of the person

- enjoyment of property- equality before the

law and the protection of the law

- freedom of religion- freedom of speech- freedom of assembly

and association - freedom of the press

1983 boy with disability given life

saving operation over parents’ objection

1987 SCC rules employers must

provide harassment free environment

harassment-

PARTIAL T IMELINE OF HUMAN RIGHTS IN CANADA

1989 first woman to lead federal party

1992 sexual orientation “read in” to Canadian HR

Act

1993 first female Prime Minister (Kim Campbell)

1996 Can. Human Rights Act includes sexual

orientation

1996 Last residential school closes in Canada

PARTIAL T IMELINE OF HUMAN RIGHTS IN CANADA

IS THAT IT?

Do you think there have been human rights

and freedoms problems within Canada in your

lifetime?

Find out this week!!!

Read pages 77-83

Answer Page 83 #1,3,4

Read pages 83-85, answer page 85 1-3, 86

#1-4