History and democracy

• Democracy - “The rule of the people,” because demos means “people,” and kratos means “rule.”
• • Equality and human rights: all individuals valued equally (regardless of religion, conscience, thought), allows to move within, leave, return to country
• • Economic freedom: a free market should exist in democracy and government should not control the economy
• • Bill of rights: an established list of citizen’s rights and freedoms
• • Rule of law: all are equal before the law and are entitled to equal protection
• • Free and fair elections: elected officials are chosen by people in a free and fair manner
• • Multi-party systems: provide the government with different viewpoints on issues (so they aren’t dictatorships/autocracies)
• • Citizen participation: running for office, voting, debating, paying taxes, serving on a jury, protesting, etc.
• • Accountability and transparency: people should be aware of the actions their government are taking
• • Independent judiciary: courts should be impartial
• • Political tolerance: rights of minorities are protected
• • Accepting results of elections: no sore losers
• oldest democracy in North America -  The Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) confederacy (since 1305).
• Indigenous talking circles - They are also known as “sharing circles.” They are used to ensure that each individual who has gathered in a place has a voice and is fully heard.
• Charlottetown Conference --

  • Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, PEI met to discuss possibility of a union on Sep 1, 1864
  • Canada west and Canada east were like “omg we should join too to make a wider union!”
• • Representation by population: the say of a community has the same amount of say as any other community with equal population (everyone’s voice is heard equally) 
• • A two house legislature refers to the Senate and the H of C
• Quebec Conference. 

  • Delegates made a blueprint for confederation in Oct, 1864
  • Developed 72 resolutions that would form the structure for Canadian constitution
• On July 1st, 1867, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Canada East and Canada West became a country.
• The BNA Act was the original constitution act in Canada (basic principles of law of a nation). It was renamed the “Constitution Act, 1867.” It created the nation of Canada.
• Canada’s first Prime Minister - John A. Macdonald.
• main written parts of the Constitution of Canada? 

  • The Constitution Act, 1867 (BNA)
  • The Constitution Act, 1982 
• Constitution Act of 1982 includes 

  Includes the Canadian charter of rights and freedoms.
• Charter of Rights and Freedoms

  It is one of the documents that make up Canada’s Constitution Act, 1982. It helps to support and preserve democracy in Canada. It guarantees:

  • Fundamental freedoms
  • Democratic rights
  • Mobility rights
  • Equality rights
  • Legal rights
  • Language/minority language educational rights
  • Aboriginal people’s rights
• Reasonable limits mean that we do not have the right to do or say whatever we want. For example, no violence allowed when protesting, no hate speech, etc.
• Challenges of Democracy


  • Elected officials represent everyone, even if a citizen did not vote for them
  • Many people do not vote, so it is difficult to say if a person truly represents the majority of citizens
  • Women and people of color may represent less seats in the Parliament.