The Struggle for Rights in Canada - A Timeline

By Kal Maki

  • British North America Act

    British North America Act
    This Act, which was passed by the British government, formally joined New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Quebec, and Ontario to create Canada. The BNA Act affected all the Indigenous peoples of Canada. The First Nations and the Inuit, grouped as 'Indians', lost their rights to practice their culture, to vote, and to own separate land. The Métis, despite the Manitoba Act, were not recognised as Indigenous either. The British North America Act served as Canada's constitution from its creation until 1982.

  • Manitoba Act

    Manitoba Act
    The Manitoba Act is a constitutional stature that created the province of Manitoba.
    It recognized Métis as an Aboriginal people, and gave them certain rights. It recognised them as Indigenous by giving them land grants, and ensuring their lands would be protected. It also allowed Métis access to publicly funded Roman Catholic education, and made French an official language of Manitoba. This Act changed constitution to give the Métis rights which had not previously been in the constitution.

  • Official Languages Act

    Official Languages Act
    This act made both English and French the official languages of Canada. It affects the collective Francophone community in Canada, by making both english and french languages equally respected and recognized by the government. It allowed French speakers to have their own identity and culture, and speak their language freely. The importance of language rights is clearly mentioned in the Charter, part of the constitution. This Act changed the constitution to include French as an official language.

  • Emergencies Act

    Emergencies Act
    This Act allows the government of Canada to invoke special measures in the case of an emergency. It affects any individuals or groups that may be involved in an emergency. For example, the right to mobility may be disallowed for certain people. Recently, the government used this act for the first time against protestors, freezing their banks among other things.
    The Emergencies Act amends the constitution when in affect, by allowing the government to remove rights that are in the constitution.

  • Anti-Terrorism Act

    Anti-Terrorism Act
    The Anti-Terrorism Act amended the Criminal Code, the Official Secrets Act, the Canada Evidence Act, the Proceeds of Crime Act, as well as some other acts, that are part of the constitution. It allowed the government to be harsher to people thought to be related to terroristic activity, in an attempt to prevent terrorist attacks. This especially affects people from cultures that known terrorists are from. It also affects individual rights, by making for shorter, harsher trials.