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Women's Suffrage
On May 24, 1918, women aged 21 and older, except those excluded by racial or Indigenous restrictions, became eligible to vote in federal elections even if they hadn’t gained the right to vote provincially. -
Persons Case
The "Famous Five" were a group of women activists. They initiated the "Persons Case" in Canada after the courts had decided women weren't classified as "persons". They managed to reverse the courts' decisions on October 10th, 1929, which meant that women could be employed in the house of commons and the senate. Furthermore, it meant that women could not be denied rights driven by a narrow interpretation of the law. -
Indian Act Revisions
The Indian Act was changed to remove some of its harsher rules. Indigenous people could now practice their traditions, like the potlatch, without it being illegal. They were also allowed to go into pool halls and gamble, but restrictions on alcohol were still made stricter. -
Canadian Bill of Rights
The Canadian Bill of Rights, passed in 1960, was Canada's first law protecting individual rights, like freedom of speech and religion. However, it only applied to federal laws and was limited in its scope. In 1982, the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms replaced it, offering stronger and broader protections for rights at both federal and provincial levels. -
Indigenous Suffrage
On March 31st parts of Section 14(2) of the Canada Elections Act were changed in favour of Indigenous rights. First Nations people could now vote federally without losing their "Indian" status. Although, this came with concerns from politicians about the indigenous impacts. -
Ontario Human Rights Code
On June 15th, 1962 the Ontario Human Rights Code demanded that people should not be discriminated against based on various factors in different settings. Some of the discriminations include; race, sex, age, marital status, and others. It states that you can not be discriminated in social areas such as employment, services and goods, place of accommodation, membership, and contracts. -
Royal Commission on the Status of Women
In 1967 the Royal Commission on the Status of Women was created to examine the status of women in Canada and suggest steps to the federal government to ensure equality for women. The creation of the Commission came forth due to the collective efforts of women activists across the nation. -
Immigration act of 1967
In 1967, Canada introduced a point system needed for immigration to the country. Immigrants would be scored based on age, language fluency, job status, marital status, etc. You can bypass this point system by proving refugee status, if natural disasters drastically damaged your home/country, and if you were in serious danger due to social perspectives in your country of residence (Eg. sexual orientation). -
Canadian Official Languages act
In 1969 Canada enacted their first Official Languages Act making English and French the two official languages in Canada. It became a necessity that people were offered one or the other when it came to governmental affairs. -
Canadian Human Rights Act
The Canadian Human Rights Act protects people residing in Canada from discrimination much like the Ontario Human Rights Code. People can turn to the Canadian Human Rights Act when they have experienced harassment and/or discrimination based on the grounds of discrimination. -
Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms
The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms is part of the Constitution. Its purpose is to limit government power, guide federal and provincial governments when making laws, guide courts when applying the law in cases, and so that people can ask the court how the charter applies to different situations. It outlines various different human rights and freedoms. -
Big M Drug Mart
On May 30th, 1982, Big M Drug Mart sold merchandise on a Sunday, which contradicted the "Lord's Day Act," which placed narrow rules about shopping on Sundays. This led to countless changes made to the constitution and inevitably made it legal to sell and buy merchandise on Sundays. -
Canadian Employment Equity Act
The Employment Equity Act was enacted in Canada in 1986. Its purpose was to "break down systemic barriers leading to discrimination in the workplace" (Government of Canada). It also allowed all workers in Canada to evenly contribute to the social and economic well-being of Canadians nationwide. -
R. v. Oakes
Oakes was accused of illegally possessing drugs with the intent to traffic them. The court argued that Oakes was guilty and had to prove his innocence. This led to Oaks appealing the case because section 11 (d) of the Charter states that everyone has a right to be presumed innocent until proven guilty. The appeal against Oakes was later dismissed. -
Abortion Rights
Up until 1988, abortion was illegal in Canada. This was changed by the Supreme Court which ruled it unconstitutional. Since then abortion has been legal and publicly funded across Canada. -
Delgamuukw v. British Columbia
In 1997, the Delgamuukw case in British Columbia concerned the details of the definition, content, and extent of Aboriginal property ownership. The Supreme Court of Canada found that the provincial government had no right to take away the Indigenous people's rights to their ancestral territories. -
Vriend v. Alberta
The Vriend case involved Delwin Vriend, who was fired from King's College in Alberta because of his sexuality. At the time, Alberta's human rights law didn't protect people from discrimination based on sexual orientation. Vriend argued this was unfair, and the Supreme Court agreed, ruling that the law violated the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. As a result, the court ordered the law to be changed to include sexual orientation as a protected category. -
R. V. Marshall
The Marshall case centered on Donald Marshall Jr., a Mi'kmaq man who was charged with fishing without a license. He argued that the Peace and Friendship Treaties gave him the right to fish for a "moderate livelihood." The Supreme Court ruled in his favor, affirming that Indigenous people have the right to fish for both food and economic purposes, expanding their access to fisheries. This decision has had lasting effects on Indigenous rights in Canada. -
Same Sex Marriage
On July 20th, 2005, same-sex marriage became legal across Canada. In Canada, marriage itself is governed by federal law. However, the legalization of marriage is governed by provincial laws. -
Truth and Reconciliation Commission
The Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) was created to address the harms caused by residential schools in Canada. It gathered stories from survivors and issued 94 "calls to action" to promote healing and justice for Indigenous peoples. The Canadian government promised to follow these recommendations to improve relationships and support reconciliation.