To mark Canada’s 150th birthday, the Liberal Party of Canada presented to Carihi Secondary School a copy of Canada’s Charter of Rights and Freedoms, signed by Attorney General for Canada, Jody Wilson Raybould.
On April 17, 1982, just 35 years ago, the Liberal government of Pierre Trudeau “patriated” Canada’s Constitution from the United Kingdom, finally granting Canada legislative independence. A key part of the 1982 Constitution is the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
With its signing, human rights became an intrinsic and irrevocable part of our Canadian identity.
The charter seeks to protect individual rights by preventing laws that unfairly discriminate or that take away human rights. It acknowledged that everyone regardless of colour, religion, race, or belief possesses fundamental rights that no government can remove without cause.
“We Liberals believe Canada is made stronger through diversity and so we treasure this charter,” said Peter Schwarzhoff, a former federal Liberal candidate. “This copy of our Charter of Rights and Freedoms signed by our Attorney General, Jody Wilson-Raybould. Ms. Wilson-Raybould is originally from Comox and is a member of the We Wai Kai First Nation.”
She comes from a long line of community activists, including her grandmother Ethel Pearson and father Bill Wilson.”
